The life of Goswami Tulsidas is heading to the big screen—but before either film begins its cinematic journey, a controversy has erupted over the title ‘Rambola’.

Two separate films based on the life and legacy of the legendary saint-poet have now been announced with the same title. One is being developed by ‘Hanuman Ansh’ writer-director Vishal Chaturvedi with producer Mahaveer Jain, while the other is being written and directed by Dr. Chandraprakash Dwivedi, with Madhu Mantena and Mandira Dwivedi as producers.

How Did the ‘Rambola’ Controversy Begin?

The controversy surfaced on September 14, when Mahaveer Jain Films announced ‘Rambola – The Immortal Story of Goswami Tulsidas’, with Vishal Chaturvedi attached as writer-director.

The announcement came soon after the strong theatrical performance of ‘Hanuman Ansh’, which was also written and directed by Chaturvedi.

But almost simultaneously, Dr. Chandraprakash Dwivedi announced his own ‘Rambola’, making it a rare situation where two filmmakers are publicly associated with films carrying the same title and focusing on the same historical-spiritual personality.

What Is Chandraprakash Dwivedi Claiming?

According to Dwivedi's conversation with Dainik Jagran, the ‘Rambola’ title was already registered with his project.

He also claimed that discussions about the film had previously taken place with Mahaveer Jain. Dwivedi said that information related to his film had been sent by email in March, along with an approximately eight-minute audio-video presentation.

Importantly, Dwivedi did not claim exclusive ownership over the life story of Tulsidas. His concern, as reported, is about the title and the alleged flow of information regarding the project.

He indicated that the matter could ultimately be decided through the Film Writers Association and, if necessary, the courts.

Mahaveer Jain’s Side Tells a Different Story

A source close to Mahaveer Jain has presented a different version of events.

According to the source, the registered title ‘Rambola’ is with Vishal Chaturvedi, and Chaturvedi was the one who approached Mahaveer Jain with the idea of making a film on Goswami Tulsidas.

The source further claims that the project was subsequently developed with Jain, giving the Vishal Chaturvedi-Mahaveer Jain team the rights to make their film.

This means that there are currently conflicting claims over the title and the development of the project.

At this stage, neither side has been established as the final legal owner of the title by a court or other adjudicating authority. The respective claims therefore need to be treated as the positions of the two sides until documentary or legal clarification emerges.

Why Is the Name ‘Rambola’ Significant?

‘Rambola’ is not an arbitrary title.

Goswami Tulsidas is traditionally associated with the childhood name Rambola, and the name is closely connected with popular accounts of his early life and devotion to Lord Rama.

Tulsidas went on to become one of the most influential poet-saints in Indian literary and devotional history. His most celebrated work, ‘Ramcharitmanas’, brought the Ramayana tradition to a vast audience through Awadhi.

He is also widely associated with the Hanuman Chalisa, making his life particularly relevant to contemporary Indian cinema's growing interest in stories rooted in spirituality and Indian cultural history.

Vishal Chaturvedi’s ‘Rambola’ Comes After ‘Hanuman Ansh’

For Vishal Chaturvedi, ‘Rambola’ comes at an interesting point in his career.

His recent film ‘Hanuman Ansh’ became a major box-office talking point despite beginning with a relatively modest scale. The film's performance grew through word of mouth and eventually crossed the ₹200-crore mark in India, turning Chaturvedi into a filmmaker to watch in the spiritual and devotional cinema space.

His decision to follow that film with a project on Tulsidas therefore has a clear thematic connection.

Chandraprakash Dwivedi Also Has a Strong History With Historical Subjects

Dr. Chandraprakash Dwivedi brings a very different but equally relevant legacy to the project.

He is best known for creating and starring in the iconic television series ‘Chanakya’ and has subsequently worked on projects including ‘Pinjar’, ‘Mohalla Assi’ and ‘Samrat Prithviraj’.

His interest in historical personalities and India's cultural past makes a Tulsidas project a natural extension of the kind of subjects he has explored throughout his career.

That is also what makes this particular title clash more intriguing for the industry.

Is This a Fight Over the Story or Just the Title?

That distinction could become crucial.

Neither side appears to be saying that the life of Tulsidas itself cannot be explored by another filmmaker. Historical personalities and their publicly known lives can obviously inspire multiple cinematic interpretations.

The more complicated questions are:

Who registered the title first?

When was each project conceived and developed?

Who originated the particular film idea?

Was any confidential project material shared between the parties?

And most importantly, what rights can each side legally establish through documents and registrations?

These are questions that cannot be conclusively answered simply through social-media announcements.

What Happens Next?

For now, both ‘Rambola’ projects exist as announced films, while the dispute over the title and project history remains unresolved publicly.

If the two teams fail to reach an understanding, the matter could move beyond industry discussions and potentially involve the relevant writers' association or legal proceedings.

For audiences, however, the immediate takeaway is simple: one of India's greatest saint-poets has inspired two films, but both have arrived with the same name.

And before either version of Tulsidas reaches the big screen, ‘Rambola’ itself has become the centre of a Bollywood title war.