Director Sudha Kongara has filed a petition in the Madras High Court, alleging that Parasakthi producer Dawn Pictures has not fully paid her remuneration. Apart from seeking the pending Rs 8.39 crore, she has also requested the court to stop the release of Idhayam Murali, another film produced by the same banner.
The petition has been filed under Section 9 of the Arbitration and Conciliation Act, seeking interim relief before arbitration proceedings begin.
Court Passes Interim Order
Hearing the case on Tuesday, Justice Kumaresh Babu issued interim directions. The court ordered that Parasakthi should not be released on satellite television until July 8. It also asked Dawn Pictures to file its response by July 7 on Kongara's plea to stop the July 10 theatrical release of Idhayam Murali. The matter will be heard again on July 8.
It was also clarified before the court that Kongara's plea only concerns the satellite rights of Parasakthi, as the film has already been released on OTT.
What's The Dispute?
According to Kongara's petition, she had signed an agreement with Dawn Pictures to direct Parasakthi for a fee of Rs 15 crore. After adding GST, the total amount payable came to Rs 17.70 crore.
Her legal team told the court that she has received Rs 9.31 crore so far, while Rs 8.39 crore is still pending. Her lawyers also argued that Kongara had completed all her responsibilities under the agreement and had transferred the film's intellectual property rights to the production house. They said that even though the film has already been released in theatres and on OTT, and invoices have been raised, the remaining payment has not been made.
Sudha Kongara is being represented in the case by advocates Nityesh Natraj and Vaibhav Venkatesh.
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Idhayam Murali Under Scrutiny
Kongara's legal team also questioned why Dawn Pictures was moving ahead with the release of Idhayam Murali while her dues were still unpaid. Explaining why the petition was filed now, her counsel told the court, "They should not come at that point of time and say that you are coming at the back end of the release. That is why I have come much in advance."
The lawyers further told the court that Dawn Pictures had publicly described Parasakthi as a commercial success, claiming it earned around Rs 100 crore worldwide. Despite that, they said, the director's pending payment has still not been cleared.
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