Bombay HC lets Queen Forever proceed despite 50% IP claim

Queen fans can loosen their grip on the armrest, but only for a moment. The Bombay High Court has declined to put an immediate stay on Queen Forever, which means Kangana Ranaut’s return as Rani Mehra is still moving ahead for now.

On Wednesday, Justice Sandeep Marne refused the interim relief that Phantom Studios had sought against Jiostar India Pvt Ltd. The order does not settle the underlying copyright fight; it simply allows production and release work to continue while the case is heard.

What the court actually decided

Phantom Studios, a co-producer of the 2014 hit Queen, had asked the court to stop Jiostar from developing, shooting, releasing, streaming, marketing or otherwise exploiting a sequel under the titles Queen Forever or Queen 2. Justice Marne declined to grant that temporary injunction at this stage.

In practical terms, the court is saying: the project is not being frozen today. That is a short-term breather for the sequel, not a verdict on who owns what.

Phantom’s 50 percent claim, explained

Phantom’s argument rests on its old co-production agreement for Queen. The studio says it and Jiostar each hold a 50 percent share in the film’s intellectual property, and that the rights cover more than the original movie.

• Phantom claims equal rights over derivative works, including sequels, prequels, remakes and adaptations.
• The studio says it never consented to a sequel based on Queen.
• It says it sent multiple caution notices to Jiostar from April 2026.
• The court has still declined immediate relief, so the sequel continues for now.

That distinction matters. A derivative work is a new project built from an existing film’s story, characters or underlying material. Sequels are the most obvious example. If the 50 percent ownership argument succeeds later, it could reshape how much control a co-producer needs before a franchise expands.

Why fans should stay cautiously excited

Queen Forever reunites Kangana Ranaut with director Vikas Bahl, and it is reportedly planned for release in the coming months. For fans of the original, nothing about this interim order dims the prospect of seeing Rani Mehra again.

But because the final ownership question is still open, there is a difference between “the shoot can continue” and “the film’s release is risk-free.” A future ruling could still create complications around distribution, streaming or the title itself.

What to watch next

The next milestone is the High Court’s fuller hearing on Phantom’s claims. If the court eventually agrees that the co-production contract requires written consent for derivative works, the sequel team may need to negotiate, restructure or fight on through more rounds of litigation.

For now, the headline is straightforward: Queen Forever has survived its first legal test, but the real courtroom battle is only getting started.

Source: The Times of India