Vijay’s ‘Jana Nayagan’ has been indefinitely postponed, and with the possibility of a festive release window now opened up, many filmmakers are recalibrating their film’s release. Among them is ‘Vaa Vaathiyaar,’ the Karthi movie that has been stuck in production itself for quite a while (it was originally scheduled for release on December 12, but legal troubles pushed it back). With a new theatrical release window presented by the postponement, they looked at releasing it for Pongal, but the Madras High Court has struck it down with a firm statement that it will continue the previous instructions until then and granted a stay on the film’s release.
High Court Refuses Relief
In its latest hearing on Friday, a Division Bench comprising Justices SM Subramaniam and C Kumarappan refused to relax the conditions imposed earlier. As per Cinema Express, the court maintained that ‘Vaa Vaathiyaar’ cannot be released in any form across theaters, OTT platforms, or digital media until outstanding dues amounting to ₹21.78 crore are fully cleared. The production side reportedly sought permission to proceed with a Pongal release by offering partial repayment, but the court observed that sufficient time had already been granted and that repeated assurances had not translated into settlement. As a result, the release ban remains absolute, with the court also directing the Official Assignee to proceed with auctioning the film’s rights.
Financial dispute rooted in decade-old investment case
The dispute traces back to a long-standing financial case initiated by the Official Assignee of the High Court. The problem started back in 2011; the film’s producer had entered into an agreement for financial cooperation with businessman Sunderdas to jointly invest ₹40 crore each for an unspecified project. Sunderdas made an investment of ₹12.85 crore before he left the project but was declared insolvent in 2014, and the Official Assignee was appointed to realize his debts. Upon further examination, ₹10.35 crores were found pending, and a request for repayment of this debt along with interest was made in a 2016 petition. Since then, the matter required multiple court interventions, and only partial repayments were made after restrictions from the court.
A ₹21.78 crore liability keeps the film in legal limbo
As the liability and accrued interest mount to ₹21.78 crore, the High Court takes a tough stance that it will not show compassion. ‘Vaa Vaathiyaar,’ an action-comedy film, is directed by Nalan Kumarasamy and stars Karthi and Krithi Shetty, along with Rajkiran, Sathyaraj, Anandaraj, Karunakaran, and GM Sundar. Although there was much excitement surrounding the release of the trailer and song, ‘Vaa Vaathiyaar’ ultimately rests on the verdict sentence, with its outstanding dues affecting its release.Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and is based on reported news of court proceedings and legal claims. It does not constitute legal advice or a definitive statement on the outcome of the case. Readers should not rely solely on this information for making legal or commercial decisions.
