Director Shakthi Chidambaram on Monday lodged a complaint with City Police Commissioner S George against Kalanidhi Maran, Chairman and Managing Director of Sun TV Network Limited, for non-payment of dues amounting to Rs 6.75 crore and allegedly issuing threats.
Chidambaram alleged that Maran did not honour a written agreement for payments for the satellite broadcast rights for the Vijay-starrer Kavalan, which Sun TV had purchased from him for Rs 5.5 crore and had returned only Rs 2.75 crore so far. Similarly, the director had paid Rs 4 crore to Maran for getting the screening rights of Rajnikant-starrer Enthiran in Chengalpattu area.
The Sun TV group allegedly sold the overall rights to another distributor and did not return Chidambaram’s money. Chidambaram alleged that the Sun Group managers, Sembian, R M Ramesh, and Kannan, acting on Maran’s instructions, assaulted him and threatened him for seeking the pending payments.
“They purchase a movie for screening on Sun TV for a meagre sum. But then they telecast it in all their group channels causing further losses to the already struggling industry. I sold Englishkaran movie for telecast in Sun TV for a meagre Rs 18 lakh. But, they telecast it on Adhitya, KTV and in Gemini TV too,” the director rued.
Chidambaram met Joint Commissioner of Police(CCB) SN Seshasai and sought action against Maran and his managers.
Meanwhile, Sree Gopikrishna Paradise owner C Nareshbabu submitted a complaint with the City Police Commissioner claiming that Sun TV group was delaying payment of Rs 20 lakh out of Rs 25 lakh paid as advance to the group for the screening of Vettaikaran. Nareshbabu alleged that only Rs 5 lakh had been paid and that he was receiving threats for demanding the money.