MUMBAI: UTV and Director Shoojit Sircar have won the legal copyright battle against their rival production house Percept Pictures regarding the canned film Johnny Walker. In 2008 an order was passed in favour of Percent restricting UTV and Sircar from making Johnny Walker (aka as Shoebite and Johnny Mastana). UTV had filed a counter-appeal which they’ve now won, thereby paving the way for the release of a film that Amitabh Bachchan holds very close to his heart.

Now with court giving UTV an all-clear verdict the film is all set to be refurbished and revived. We hear the Big B who considers Johnny Mastana one of the most challenging films of his career is very keen on seeing the film released.

However one major impediment remains before the long-delayed film sees the light of day. Hollywood’s most persistent Indian filmmaker Manoj Night Shyamalan was supposed to have made a film on the same subject as Johnny Mastana. On hearing of Johnny Mastana he had imposed a restraining order on the film’s release expressing his desire to film the story on his own. However no progress has been made on Shyamalan’s proposed project.

While UTV and Percept refrained from comment director Shoojit Sircar couldn’t contain his relief. “The court order in our favour couldn’t have been better timed. It comes when my third feature film Vicky Donor is on the verge of release. We’ve retrieved my second feature film Johnny Mastana from Percept. Now we need to get it released from Manoj Shyamalan. I  can’t talk about UTV’s plans in this respect. But I do know that the court verdict has given me new hope. More than my own despondency at the way the film was smothered I felt bad because Mr Bachchan had poured his life into Johnny Mastana. Now I know the film will be released. I am sure Mr Shyamalan would see reason. He hasn’t even started his film. Our is complete and ready.”