The Madras High Court on Friday ruled that rights over the 1963 family drama Karpagam belong to AVM Studios.

The film was written and directed by KS Gopalakrishnan for Amar Jyothi Films which produced the movie. Amar Jyothi Films’ Sabarinathan had borrowed a sum of Rs 4 lakh from AVM Studios for producing and distributing the Karpagam. He had pledged the rights of the film for a period of 49 years to the studio.

With the 49 year period ending in 2012, another agreement was signed in 2005, handing over the full rights over the film to AVM for a period of 99 years.

The film stars yesteryear actors Savithri, KR Vijaya, Gemini Ganesan and Muthuraman.

However, in 2006, Amar Jyothi Films reportedly contended AVM Studios’ transfer of the film’s rights to AVM Limited. AVM had argued that Amar Jyothi Films must not interfere in its affairs as long as the former owned the rights.

On Friday, the Madras High Court stated that AVM Studios had rights over the film till 2062. Justice Sundar also stated that as per the agreement, the full rights of the film belong to AVM Studios.

Karpagam, a family drama released in 1963, revolved around a farmer and family patriarch, played by SV Ranga Rao, who stays with his two married children. Things take a turn for the worse when the son, played by Muthuraman, starts stealing from his father’s business. MR Radha plays the villain, blaming the Gemini Ganesan and Savithri duo for everything. The film features the wildly popular song Pakkathu Veettu Paruva Machaan.