Madras High Court Stops Release of Karthi’s “Vaa Vaathiyar” Over Producer’s Alleged Unpaid Dues
Madras High Court halts the release of Karthi’s upcoming film “Vaa Vaathiyar” over allegations of unpaid dues by Studio Green. Court issues interim stay until December 5, 2025.
The Madras High Court has temporarily stayed the release of Karthi’s film “Vaa Vaathiyar” amid a financial dispute involving producer Studio Green.
The Madras High Court has issued an interim stay on the release of the upcoming Tamil film “Vaa Vaathiyar”, starring Karthi, following allegations that the film’s producer, KE Gnanavel of Studio Green, failed to clear longstanding financial dues.
The bench comprising Justice S.M. Subramaniam and Justice C. Kumarappan passed the order while hearing an execution petition filed by the official liquidator of the Madras High Court. The petition concerns the unsettled estate of financier and realtor Arjunlal Sunderdas, who was declared insolvent in 2014.
According to court records, Studio Green was directed in 2019 to pay ₹10.35 crore with 18% annual interest to Sunderdas. The order stemmed from earlier transactions where Sunderdas had reportedly funded pre-production work for a joint film project. However, the amount remained unpaid.
Court Blocks Release Until December 5
Since Studio Green did not fully comply with the 2019 order, the official liquidator sought to restrain the release of future films from the production house and attach the proceeds to recover the dues. The latest petition specifically targeted “Vaa Vaathiyar”, scheduled for a December 5 release.
The High Court has now imposed an interim ban on the film’s release until December 5, 2025.
“There shall be an order of interim prohibition… not to release the movie ‘Vaa Vaathiyar’ till 05.12.2025,” the court stated.
Long-Running Financial Dispute
Studio Green’s producer, KE Gnanavel Raja, argued earlier that the funds received from Sunderdas were part of an agreement to co-produce a big-budget film, with both parties investing ₹40 crore each. When Sunderdas couldn’t raise the remaining amount, Gnanavel claimed he granted him Hindi remake rights to three Tamil films—All in All Azhaguraja, Biriyani, and Madras.
However, the court found insufficient evidence to support these claims. The 2019 order held that Studio Green failed to prove the agreement and dismissed the defense.
Previous Similar Orders
This is not the first time Studio Green has faced such legal hurdles. In 2024, the official liquidator had similarly moved the court to halt the release of “Thangalaan” and “Kanguva.” The court allowed their release only after the production house deposited ₹1 crore per film as part payment.
Case Details
- Case Title: The Official Assignee vs. S. Arjunlal Sunderdas & Another
- Case No.: E.P. No. 137 of 2025
- Citation: 2025 LiveLaw (Mad) 467
- Counsel for Petitioner: K.V. Ananthakrishnan
- Counsel for Respondents: Niranjan Rajagopal for A. Janani
