Nagarjuna caught in legal tangle over usage of mobile number in 'Hello'

Quite a few years ago, the makers of the Nagarjuna starrer Sivamani were caught in a legal tangle over using a mobile phone number in the movie.

The owner of that number had filed a legal suit against the makers alleging that his number was used without his permission and it caused him immense agony over fans dialing the number even during the odd hours in the hope of speaking to the hero.

Nagarjuna is now faced with a similar situation. Those who have seen Akhil Akkineni’s recent release Hello will know that heroine Kalyani Priyadarshan would scribble a mobile number in a paper requesting the hero to give her a call. This phone number would be flashed throughout the movie and is an integral part of the plot.

And now, the makers of Hello are slapped with a legal notice by Vikas Prajapathi from Jharkhand claiming the number belonged to him and ever since the film’s release he has been receiving numerous phone calls from fans. He alleged that this has hurt his family and professional life and has claimed a compensation of Rs. 50 lakhs from the producers.

While the filmmakers assert that they have obtained the requisite permission from the telecom company to use the number, the company maintains that it had not be accorded any such permission. Further, the complainant Vikas Prajapathi claims that he has been using the mobile number of nearly five years now and cannot opt for a change of number.

Well, Nagarjuna, the producer of Hello, is expected to deal with this issue and put an end to it soon.

Hello, directed by Vikram Kumar, stars Akhil Akkineni and Kalyani Priyadarshan as the lead pair. This action romance entertainer is produced by Nag’s home banner Annapurna Studios.