Sayani Gupta has taken legal action against filmmaker Vinita Negi over allegations of copyright infringement and breach of trust linked to her directorial debut Aasmani. Gupta has claimed that the allegations are false, misleading and defamatory. She has also sought urgent interim relief, alleging that the controversy caused professional harm to her film.
Sayani Gupta seeks filing of defamation suit
The case has been filed as Sayani Gupta v. Vinita Negi & Ors. Meta, Reddit and Deccan Chronicle Holdings Limited have also been named as defendants in the proceedings. As reported by Bar and Bench, an application seeking an urgent hearing and interim relief is expected to be listed on September 3.
Vinita Negi, an alumna of the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII), had accused Sayani Gupta of copyright infringement and breach of trust. Vinita Negi alleged that Aasmani had substantially borrowed from her unfinished documentary Prabha. Gupta’s suit has now claimed that Negi’s allegations are false, misleading, unsubstantiated and defamatory.
As per her plea, copyright law protects original expression, not abstract ideas. “The mere presence of an elderly woman, a car, a driver or any other generic element in a creative work does not confer upon Negi a monopoly over such ideas or concepts,” the suit states. According to the suit, Negi filed a complaint with the Screenwriters Association (SWA) in April 2026.
According to Gupta, this campaign caused concrete professional harm since her film Aasmani was abruptly withdrawn from the Indian Film Festival of New Zealand (TIFFNZ).
Opening up about the plagiarism row, Gupta earlier told Hollywood Reporter, “Aasmani is an original film. Till now, I chose not to speak. Not because silence meant acceptance, nor because I had nothing to say.”
More about Sayani Gupta
The actress was all set to explore a new side of storytelling with her directorial debut short film Aasmani. The film stars veteran actor Revathi as the protagonist, along with Daria Bedi, who is being introduced in this film. The project talks about an elderly woman who shares an unbreakable bond with a vintage powder-blue Fiat.
Workwise, she is making her Hollywood debut with the US production, Arya. Directed by debutant filmmaker Neil Tuli, Arya stars Gupta as a piano teacher who moves to the US.