Madras HC Orders Gautham Menon To Pay ₹4.25 Crore To Producer

In a significant legal blow to acclaimed filmmaker Gautham Vasudev Menon, the Madras High Court has dismissed an appeal filed by him and his production house, Photon Factory. As reported by The Times of India and The Hindu, a Division Bench comprising Justices P. Velmurugan and K. Govindarajan Thilakavadi upheld a 2022 single-judge verdict that orders the director to refund ₹4.25 crore to R.S. Infotainment.

The dispute traces back to a 2008 agreement for a film titled “Production No. 6,” originally intended to star Silambarasan TR. According to news agency reports, R.S. Infotainment, led by producer S. Elred Kumar, had agreed to a ₹13.5 crore budget and paid an advance of ₹4.25 crore. When the project failed to commence despite extensions, the production house filed a civil suit in 2013.

In his defense, Menon argued that the funds were utilized and that the 2012 film Neethaane En Ponvasantham was the eventual realization of the project. However, the court found no evidence to link the advance to that film, noting it was produced under a separate 2011 contract. Consequently, the court reaffirmed that Menon must repay the principal amount along with 12% annual interest dating back to May 2010, plus litigation costs of ₹12 lakh.

This ruling concludes a nearly two-decade-long financial dispute. While Menon has recently seen success with the OTT release of Dominic and the Ladies’ Purse, this judicial outcome adds to the ongoing financial challenges surrounding his production ventures.

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