Kangana Ranaut has served a legal notice on T-Series to block the release of its upcoming film I Love NY featuring her

Mumbai: Actress Kangana Ranaut has served a legal notice on T-Series to block the release of its upcoming film I Love NY featuring her. Directed by Radhika Rao and Vinay Sapru, I Love New Year, a romantic-comedy with Sunny Deol and Kangana in the lead roles, was initially planned to be released in February 2013.

However, the release got pushed to April, then to September and later December the same year, but did not hit the screens.

Although the exact reason for the delay was not known, the film was reportedly shelved due to the poor response to its trailer and not-so-good outcome of Sunny's last few films at the box office.

"The producer ought to realise that. By belatedly releasing an abandoned film, they would willfully hamper the name and image of my client (Kangana), which is morally and ethically wrong. In my notice, I have asked them to stop the release of the said film, as was verbally assured to my client on numerous occasions," her lawyer Rizwan Siddiquee told PTI.

Kangana, whose past few films, including Queen and Tanu Weds Manu Returns have done well at the box office, is upset as the producers of I Love NY are releasing the film without her permission. Apparently the makers are cashing in on her recent box office success.

"The film Industry thrives on trust. Not everything is supposed to be looked at as black and white and with commercial interests. My client blindly trusted and believed in what the producer communicated to her and therefore did not even insist on a copy of the agreement," Siddiquee said.

However, Bhushan Kumar of T-Series calls the contents of the notice as "baseless".

"I think the notice is baseless. As we (T-Series) are not releasing the film, I can't stop it (release). We had sold the film to Wave Cinemas one-and-half-years back... Even before Queen was released. Now they are releasing the film," Bhushan Kumar told PTI.

"Also, we do not have any deal with her where we need to take permission from her for releasing the film. This thing (taking permission from actor) does happen today, but only with big stars like Salman Khan," he said.

Kumar made it clear that there is no money pending to be given to Kangana. "It is not true that money is due. We will reply to her notice with a copy of the bank receipts. Her last payment has also been cleared," he added.

PTI