MUMBAI: Besides their Bollywood lineage, television and film producers Ekta Kapoor and Shrishti Behl Arya have a lot in common.

However, born in two illustrious film families, Ekta and Shristi could never see eye to eye when they are vying for the same eyeballs on television.

It has now come out in the open that the title of Ekta Kapoor’s new film Shor had to suddenly be changed to Shor In The City. While the official version given out for the overnight alteration was the cool contemporary sound of the new title, insiders at Balaji Motion Pictures say that Ekta had to change the title because it belonged to Shristi and her brother Goldie Behl’s production house Rose Movies.

A source from Balaji tells Businessofcinema.com, “When Ekta’s production was named Shor, she was blissfully unaware that it belonged to Shristi. When she was enlightened on the matter Ekta being Ekta (meaning too hot-headed and self-respecting to ask for favours) she immediately decided to change the title.”

That’s when the bitter-sweet saga of the two Bollywood heiresses took a U-turn.

Continues the source, “We at Balaji persuaded Ekta to try for the title. You see, all the publicity and marketing referred to the film as Shor. It was even screened at international film festivals as Shor. So we decided to approach Shrishti Behl Arya for the title.”

However, she refused to part with the title. Apparently the livid Balaji tycoon immediately commanded Shor to be re-christened as Shor In The City.

When asked to comment, Shrishti denies being approached by Balaji for the title but admits that Shor is a title that her own banner needs for an impending project.

She says, “The title Shor is with us at Rose Movies. Balaji never requested us for it. Their title is Shor In The City.”

Wasn’t Shor the title of Manoj Kumar’s 1972 film?

Shrishti clarifies, “The title was open in IMPPA (Indian Motion Pictures Producers’ Association). We got it more than five years ago. It is perfect for a script my brother Goldie is working on.”

However, Balaji sources rubbish Shrishti’s claims about not being approached for the title. “Balaji did ask her for the title Shor. She refused. We had no choice but to change our title.”

The Shrishti-Ekta war has now gone to another level. To rewind a bit, the two successful female entrepreneurs share a lot more than just their Bollywood background. Ekta is the heir-apparent of actor Jeetendra. They both have a brother each and have grown up in the laps of the biggest Bollywood stars. Ekta’s production house has seen singular success, whereas Shrishti’s Rose Movies was started by her father producer-director Ramesh Behl. After his death, Shrishti kept the banner going with feature films and television software. It was on the home-medium that the Ekta-Shrishti rivalry took wings with both the television producers battling for the same slots on the same channels.

Now the title tussle has taken their differences to a new level. Shor? Plenty is expected soon.