Madras HC vacates the interim stay on film 'Kaali' with rider

Pic Courtesy: Movie Poster

Chennai:  The Madras High Court today vacated the interim stay on the release of the Tamil film 'Kaali', subject to the condition that the producer and actor deposits Rs 2 crore to the credit of the civil suit pending before it.

A Division Bench of Justices R Subbiah and Audikesavulu vacated the stay following an appeal filed by producer-cum-actor Vijay Antony against the order of a single judge, stalling the release of his movie.

The bench then directed Antony to furnish a bank guarantee for the sum in the name of Registrar General of the High Court towards the account of the civil suit which was pending adjudication before it in the matter. On April 6, a single judge of the court had passed the interim order staying the release of the movie till April 11.

The order was passed on the plea filed by one William Alexander, proprietor of Picture Box Company, against Fathima Vijay Antony, proprietor of Vijay Antony Pictures. Besides, the order stated that the interim stay shall stand vacated automatically if the appellant deposits in the court a sum of Rs 4.73 lakh. Alexander submitted that he was the distributor of Antony's film "Annadurai," which released in 2017.

He also alleged that the actor, claiming that the film had come out well, sold the distribution rights at a higher price but managed not to show a preview of the film till its release.

Though the film received moderate collection in the initial days, within a week theatre owners dumped the film and screened other movies, citing it had failed at the box office, Alexander said.

When the issue and the loss incurred by Alexander were brought to the knowledge of Antony, he had allegedly promised to give the distribution rights of 'Kaali' at a lesser price to Alexander. Subsequently, an agreement to that effect was signed and Alexander paid Rs 50 lakh as advance. As Antony failed to keep his promise with regard to 'Kaali', Alexander moved the High Court.