Actor Vadivelu has filed a lawsuit in the Madras High Court, seeking Rs 5 crore in damages from fellow actor Singamuthu for allegedly making defamatory remarks against him on social media, reports said.
In his plea, Vadivelu requested the court to issue a permanent injunction preventing Singamuthu from making any further false or defamatory statements against him.
On Wednesday, Justice R M T Teeka Raman admitted the case and directed Singamuthu to respond to the suit.
Vadivelu's complaint stems from interviews that Singamuthu gave to YouTube channels on January 16 and February 11, where he allegedly made several false and derogatory comments about Vadivelu’s personal and professional life.
Following these interviews, Vadivelu issued legal notices on March 19 to both Singamuthu and the YouTube channels, demanding an apology and retraction of the comments. While the channels complied, Singamuthu responded by asserting that his right to free speech is protected under the Constitution, framing it as a subject for debate.
Vadivelu described this response as adding "salt to the wound," stating that the defamatory remarks had caused him significant mental anguish, pain, and misery. He emphasized that unless Singamuthu is ordered to compensate him, he is likely to continue making such "cheap and unwarranted utterances."
Vadivelu, a renowned film artist, noted that his movies have been dubbed in several Indian and international languages. The continued defamatory statements by Singamuthu, he argues, have seriously tarnished his public image.