A significant legal case has been registered at the Saidapet Court in Chennai against prominent film producer Murali, who owns Thenandal Films. The case alleges that Murali defrauded a Malaysian company by failing to deliver the overseas distribution rights for two major Tamil films, 'Petta' and 'Kanchana-3'.
Details of the Alleged Agreement and Breach
According to the complaint, Murali, known for producing the Vijay-starrer 'Mersal', entered into a formal agreement with Malik Stream Corporation, a company based in Malaysia. The deal promised the Malaysian firm the overseas rights for the two Sun Pictures productions. As part of this agreement signed in 2018, Malik Stream Corporation reportedly paid Murali a substantial sum of Rs 30 crore.
However, the Malaysian company claims Murali did not furnish the overseas rights for the films as promised. Instead of transferring the complete royalties, he is alleged to have returned only Rs 15 crore while keeping the remaining amount. This alleged breach of contract led the aggrieved party to file a formal complaint with the Chennai Central Crime Branch.
Bounced Cheque and Escalating Legal Troubles
The situation worsened when Murali later attempted to return an additional Rs 10 crore to Malik Stream Corporation via a bank cheque. This cheque reportedly bounced due to insufficient funds in the account. Following this incident, a separate cheque fraud case was filed against the filmmaker at the Saidapet Court.
The accusations against Murali are severe, encompassing cheating, misappropriation of a large sum of money, and failure to provide the contracted services, actions which allegedly caused significant financial losses to the Malaysian company.
Industry Buzz and Pending Court Decision
The case has now evolved into a major point of discussion within the Indian film industry, partly due to the high profile of the films involved. Legal proceedings are actively underway at the Chennai Saidapet Court, seeking both the recovery of the outstanding dues and appropriate legal action against Murali.
This dispute has also highlighted certain risk factors and complexities associated with the sale and management of overseas film rights and international entertainment contracts. The court's decision is awaited to bring closure to this financial and legal dispute.
