Sayani Gupta Sues Vinita Negi for ₹9 Crores Over Aasmani Copyright Claims
Actor and filmmaker Sayani Gupta has filed a ₹9 crore defamation suit in the Mumbai City Civil Court against filmmaker Vinita Negi regarding allegations surrounding Gupta’s directorial debut, the short film Aasmani. The lawsuit, titled Sayani Gupta v. Vinita Negi & Ors., also names Meta, Reddit, and Deccan Chronicle Holdings Limited as co-defendants.
An application requesting an urgent hearing and interim relief was scheduled to be listed before Additional Sessions Judge Shudhirkumar Murlidharrao Bukke on September 3.
The legal dispute originated after Negi, an alumna of the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII), publicly accused Gupta of copyright infringement and breach of trust. Negi alleged that Aasmani borrowed heavily from her unfinished documentary Prabha, pointing out that both projects center around an elderly woman and a vintage car.
In her court petition, Gupta firmly denied the allegations, describing them as false, unsubstantiated, and defamatory. Her suit contends that copyright law protects original creative expression rather than abstract ideas, arguing that generic elements like an elderly woman, a car, or a driver do not give Negi exclusive rights over those concepts.
According to the suit, Negi initially filed a complaint with the Screenwriters Association (SWA) in April 2026. Gupta claims that while those proceedings were still underway, Negi launched a public campaign by circulating a “Statement of Support” across WhatsApp and social media platforms. The petition states that this petition gathered over 250 signatures from film industry professionals and caused severe damage to Gupta’s career, including the withdrawal of Aasmani from the Indian Film Festival of New Zealand.
In addition to seeking ₹9 crores in financial damages, Gupta is requesting a court order directing Meta, Reddit, and Deccan Chronicle to delete the allegedly defamatory posts. She is also seeking a public retraction and an unconditional apology from Negi. Stay tuned to know more about it and others only with us.
