A battle over one of Kangana Ranaut’s most celebrated screen legacies has now landed in court, with JioStar forcefully contesting Phantom Studios’ Rs 250 crore lawsuit over Queen 2. What could have been seen as a high-profile reunion between Ranaut and Queen director Vikas Bahl has instead turned into a sharp legal fight over title rights, intellectual property, and who gets to build on the memory of a modern Bollywood classic.
The matter reached the Bombay High Court after Phantom Studios challenged the use of the Queen title and alleged that its intellectual property rights had been infringed. Phantom has claimed ownership of 50 per cent of the original film’s intellectual property and argued that no approval was given for a sequel or derivative work.
Jiostar’S Stand On Queen 2
In its response, JioStar made its position clear and denied any creative overlap with the earlier film. The company said, “StarStudio18 is presently working with Ms Kangana Ranaut on a fresh production that is an original, independent story. It has no narrative, character or creative connection to any prior work, and is neither a sequel nor a prequel to any existing title.”
That line now sits at the heart of the studio’s defence as the dispute moves through the legal process. For Phantom, the value lies in protecting a film brand that still carries strong recall more than a decade after Queen released in 2014 and became a major critical success for Ranaut.
Title Dispute Heads To Court
JioStar also rejected the argument that the word “Queen” itself can be exclusively controlled. In its statement, the company said, “The word ‘Queen’ is a part of the English language. No party can claim exclusive ownership over a common noun, and any such claim has no basis in law. JioStar is aware of the litigation and will defend its position through the appropriate legal process. We have full confidence in the merits of our case.”
The legal challenge carries added weight because Queen remains one of the defining titles in Ranaut’s career. The 2014 comedy-drama won wide acclaim and earned her the National Award for Best Actress, turning the film into a lasting reference point in her body of work. That is precisely why this lawsuit raises the stakes for her beyond a routine credit or title dispute.
Kangana Ranaut’S Recent And Upcoming Work
Ranaut was last seen in Emergency, which released on 17 January 2025 and featured her as Indira Gandhi in a film she also directed. Before that, she headlined Tejas in 2023, playing an Air Force officer, and led the 2022 action thriller Dhaakad.
Her upcoming slate keeps attention firmly on her next moves as both actor and filmmaker. Ranaut is attached to Bharat Bhhagya Viddhaata, a Hindi thriller based on the 2008 Mumbai attacks. Queen 2 also remains one of her key announced projects, making this legal fight especially significant because it circles back to a film that shaped her mainstream career and now frames a closely watched reunion with Vikas Bahl.
With the court battle now underway, the conversation around Queen 2 is no longer just about nostalgia or a familiar title. It has become a test case over legacy, ownership, and how far a celebrated film identity can travel into a new project.
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