The Madras high court on August 14 permitted the release of Tamil film Thangalaan today (August 15) after its producer complied with its order directing his Studio Green to deposit Rs. 1 crore before the release in the Official Assignee’s account. The court likewise asked producer K.E. Gnanavelraja to transfer Rs. 1 crore before the release of his Kanguva (Tamil) on October 10.
The orders were passed by a division bench comprising Justices G. Jayachandran and C.V. Karthikeyan. The production company, Studio Green, which has produced both the films, is owned by K.E. Gnanavelraja.
The orders were passed by an execution petition linked to an unpaid sum of Rs. 10.35 crore to the estate of Arjunlal Sunderdas, filed by the high court’s Official Assignee, who had been entrusted with the task of recovering the debts due to insolvent businessman Sunderdas (since dead). The Official Assignee had filed an application in the high court in 2016 stating that Sunderdas, accused of cheating people of several crores of rupees by allegedly luring them to invest in his finance and real estate companies, had decided to co-produce films with Studio Green in 2011 by investing Rs. 40 crore. A division bench order in 2019 allowed a petition filed by the Official Assignee and directed Studio Green to pay a sum of Rs. 10.35 crore with interest at 18% p.a.
Studio Green’s Gnanavelraja had told the court that Sunderdas had agreed to produce films by investing Rs. 40 crore each but he had paid an initial amount and had then pleaded inability to pay the balance. Since there was not much clarity on the issue, the court had rejected Studio Green’s defence and allowed the Official Assignee’s petition. The Official Assignee had filed the current execution petition after the 2019 order was not complied with.
While Thangalaan opened today (15th August) in Tamil Nadu, its Hindi dubbed version did not open anywhere. The dubbed version was scheduled to hit the screens today.