Kamal Ghorui
The Madras High Court on Monday dismissed an appeal filed by film-maker Gautham Vasudev Menon and his production house Photon Factory, affirming a prior order directing them to pay ₹4.25 crore along with 12 per cent annual interest to R.S. Infotainment.Reports from IANS says that a Division Bench comprising Justices P. Velmurugan and K. Govindarajan Thilakavadi upheld an earlier order. The court refused to entertain the appeal filed in May 2022. The ruling confirmed that Gautham Menon and his firm must pay Rs 4.25 crore to R.S. Infotainment, along with 12 percent annual interest from May 2010 as per the reports.
Background of the dispute
The case dates back to an agreement signed on November 27, 2008. R.S. Infotainment had entered into a deal with Photon Factory to produce a Tamil film referred to as ‘production no. 6.’As per the agreement, the production was scheduled to begin on December 10, 2008. It was expected to be completed by April 5, 2009.The production house had agreed to invest Rs 13.5 crore towards the project. However the film never went on floors, leading to a prolonged dispute.
Payments and legal claims
Despite the project not commencing, R.S. Infotainment paid Rs 4.25 crore in multiple instalments to Photon Factory.The agreement also included a clause that stated that if the film was not completed within the deadline, the amount must be repaid with 24 percent interest.Later, on February 12, 2010, additional time was granted to complete the project. When there was still no progress, the company filed a civil suit in 2013 seeking damages.
Court observations and verdict
Reportedly, Justice Senthilkumar Ramamoorthy, in his earlier order dated April 5, 2022, ruled in favour of the production house. The judge observed that there was no evidence to show that the Rs 4.25 crore was used for any other film.Specifically, the court noted that the funds were not used for ‘Neethane En Ponvasantham’.The court directed Gautham Vasudev Menon and his firm to repay Rs 4.25 crore with 12 percent interest from 2010. They were also ordered to pay litigation costs of Rs 12 lakh.With the Division Bench dismissing the appeal the earlier order now stands confirmed.
GVM’s work front
On the professional front, Gautham Vasudev Menon was last associated with ‘Dominic and the Ladies’ Purse’, starring Mammootty.The film has been gaining appreciation after its OTT release. Many viewers have admitted they missed it during its theatrical run.Reacting to the response, the filmmaker shared a note saying, “Thank you for the overwhelming response to my film, Dominic and the Ladies’ Purse. I’ve been hearing some really good things about the film and that there’s been lots of viewership across homes.”He further added, “I’m thinking ‘finally’ and ‘long due.’ A big thanks and shout out to THE Mammookka.”Disclaimer: This report is a journalistic account of a recent court development. While every effort has been made to ensure accuracy based on available information, this is not a substitute for the official court order or legal advice. The final ruling, which will be published by the court, is the definitive source of information. This article serves as a report on the current status of the case and should not be considered legal guidance.
