this madras high court Deny any interim relief to film producers Sudha Kongalathey sought recovery of alleged unpaid dues from Dawn Pictures, the makers of “Parasakthi”. Therefore, the court did not stay the release of “Idhayam Murali” with Atharvaa. Justice K Kumaresh Babu dismissed the plea seeking an interim injunction and allowed the film to release despite financial disputes between the director and the production house.
Sudha Kongara seeks to halt film over alleged nonpayment
According to Live Law reports, Sudha Kongara filed a plea in the High Court claiming that Dawn Films owed her Rs 8.39 crore under the director’s agreement. She sought a direction from the court that the production house should not release “Idhayam Murali” until the dues are settled. However, the court refused to grant interim relief, meaning the Atharvaa-starrer will not face any legal hurdles before his release while the dispute continues.
Dawn Pictures disputes this claim, citing previous agreements
Dawn Pictures objected to this defense at the hearing, saying that the matter involved multiple relevant agreements. The production house told the court that Sudha Kongara had signed a directorial deal for “Parasakthi” with 2D Entertainment but canceled the deal after receiving Rs 4.12 crore. Dawn Pictures further claimed that it subsequently acquired the intellectual property rights of the film from 2D Entertainment for Rs 58 crore and had paid Rs 85 million (excluding GST) to Sudha Kongara. The company argued that the transactions and counterclaims must be reviewed together by the tribunal rather than through an interim order.
Production companies suffer financial losses as legal battle continues
Dawn Films also informed the court that it suffered a financial setback during the production of “Parasakthi”. The company said that parts of the film were leaked online during the production process, forcing it to hire an anti-piracy agency and affecting the OTT value of the film. It also noted that the screenwriter filed a copyright lawsuit before the film was released, resulting in additional legal expenses. The studio said these factors showed both parties had financial claims that required detailed investigation. High Court refuses to retain ‘Idhayam Murali’. The film is facing legal action but is ready for a theatrical release.
