CHENNAI: A day ahead of the slated release of Tamil feature film Idhu Namma Alu starring Simbu and Nayanthara, the Madras High Court stayed it on Thursday.
The vacation judge MV Muralidharan granted the injunction while passing interim orders on an application based on a civil suit from the film financier Sanjay Kumar Lalwani of Purasawalkam.
Unless Chimbu Cine Arts, T Nagar, the producer of the film, settled the entire sum due to the financier, it had no right to release the film. The financier has made out a prima facie case against the firm.
Hence the interim injunction restraining Chimbu Cine Arts and others from releasing the film, directed by Pandiaraj and processed by Prasad Color Lab, in the entire North Arcot and South Arcot areas and in the territories assigned to the financier till the disposal of the suit, the judge said.
According to the plaintiff, while producing the film, Chimbu Arts approached him and borrowed `1.09 crore through an agreement dated August 14, 2015 and promised to repay the entire sum together with interest at 36% a year before releasing the movie.
Chimbu Arts had also agreed to create a first and paramount charge over the areas of North Arcot and South Arcot exclusively in the financier’s favour and based on the promises, the financier had released the sum in cash and also executed two promissory notes for the transaction.
However, Chimbu Arts tried to release the film without settling the amount due and without his knowledge on May 27 through Thenandal Films, Saligramam. The act was in total violation of the August 2015 agreement, financier contended.
Despite collecting huge advance sums from distributors, the producers miserably failed and neglected to repay the loan amount, Lalwani added in his petition.
Chimbu Arts approached me and borrowed `1.09 crore through an agreement dated August 14, 2015 and promised to repay the entire sum together with interest at 36% a year before releasing the movie
Sanjay Kumar Lalwani, financier