The Bombay high court on 23rd August warned actor-director Prakash Raj of aggravated contempt of court with respect to his film, Tadka, starring Nana Patekar, Taapsee Pannu and Ali Fazal. The court told him that if his cheque of Rs. 2 crore to Essel Vision towards payment of part of the money received from it plus interest thereon bounced, he would be held liable for aggravated contempt of court since he had already been made aware of his action. The action referred to non-payment of Rs. 5.88 crore, plus taxes, to Essel Vision.
Prakash Raj had given an undertaking to the court in April that he would pay the entire amount by July 15 in response to a suit filed by Essel Vision against the production companies of the film, for breach of the MoU by the companies. One of the production companies belongs to Prakash Raj’s brother-in-law.
Essel accepted the cheque and agreed to give the actor-director time till February next year for the balance amount. The hearing to ascertain that the cheque, given by Prakash Raj on 23rdd August did not bounce, will be held on 30th August.