Madras HC clears release of Kamal's 'Vishwaroopam 2', film to hit screens on Aug 10

Director K S Srinivasan, representing Pyramid Saimira Productions International, filed a petition with the Madras High Court on August 3.
Madras HC clears release of Kamal's 'Vishwaroopam 2', film to hit screens on Aug 10
Madras HC clears release of Kamal's 'Vishwaroopam 2', film to hit screens on Aug 10
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The Madras High Court on Thursday refused to stay the release of Kamal Haasan’s Vishwaroopam 2 in response to a civil suit filed by Pyramid Saimira Productions International against Kamal and his production house Raajkamal Films. The judgment was passed by Justice M Sundar.

Kamal’s Vishwaroopam 2 ran the risk of being stalled when director KS Srinivasan, representing Pyramid Saimira Productions International, filed a petition with the Madras High Court on August 3.

In their petition, Pyramid Saimira Productions International had stated that they had released an amount of Rs 4 crore to Kamal Haasan as remuneration for their project together, titled Marmayogi. They had also claimed that Kamal had diverted the funds received towards the release of another film titled Unnaipol Oruvan. The petition stated that in 2016, the amount due with interest was Rs 5.44 crore and had now increased to Rs 7.75 crore.

The petition had also alleged that Kamal has borrowed heavily for producing his upcoming Vishwaroopam 2 and that since he is unable to pay back any of his creditors, he has proceeded with the release through Aascar Films to “defeat, delay and defraud” his creditors including Pyramid Saimira.

Out of a total remuneration of Rs 16 crores for directing and acting in the film, Pyramid Saimira had reportedly agreed to release Rs 3 crore (one crore for directing and two crores for acting) to Kamal at the time of signing the agreement on 2.4.2008. This project was to be completed in a period of 18 months, during which Kamal would not sign any other assignment. Upon signing the memorandum, Rs 150 crore would be released to Raajkamal Films as advance. But only an advance of Rs 1 crore in addition to Kamal’s initial remuneration of Rs 3 crore was released after signing the memorandum.

In his August 7th response to the petition, Kamal has stated that an amount of Rs 88,67,000 was paid after deduction of TDS from the one crore that was promised to him as director’s advance in August 2008.

This was allegedly during the period that Kamal Haasan had a song composed by AR Rahman (for which Kamal had also sung) and also acted in a scene alongside Trisha and Shriya for the film. He also adds in the response that he had spent over a crore to just book these artistes. Kamal further states that the film’s production had to be stalled because Pyramid Saimira failed to provide the necessary funds.

The response states that Pyramid Saimira stopped all payment by the end of September 2009 by which time production costs had amounted to Rs 20 crore in addition to Kamal’s remuneration of Rs 9 crore.

It goes on to add that any allegation that “the funds given for Marmayogi were not spent or diverted to produce the film Unnaipol Oruvan or any other movie is baseless and false”.

According to a report in The Hindu, when Pyramid Saimira tried to stall the release of Unnaipol Oruvan in September 2009, the court allowed the release of the film by permitting Kamal to furnish a bank guarantee for 50% of the suit claim which was Rs 7.82 Crore.

Kamal’s Vishwaroopam 2 is now set to release on August 10.

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