HC directs film directors to repay part of ₹1 crore loan in two weeks

Comply with order or face the music, judge tells film-maker and brother

Film director N. Lingusamy and his brother N. Subhash Chandra Bose appeared before the Madras High Court on Friday in compliance with an order passed by the court on Monday insisting on their personal appearance in a contempt of court petition filed against them by finance firm PVP Capital.

Justice Pushpa Sathyanarayana came down heavily on the duo for not repaying a loan of ₹1.03 crore, leading to their liability of having crossed over ₹2 crore by now.

She directed them to pay at least a nominal amount of ₹10 lakh by November 15 to show their bona fides.

The brothers, who run a film production firm titled Tirupathi Brothers, expressed their inability to pay the money in two weeks. The judge said the court would be forced to proceed with the contempt if they do not comply with the order. “You are taking courts for granted. It cannot be allowed,” she added.

Initially, the lawyer for the contemnors told the court that they would try to mobilise about ₹25 lakh if they were granted two months’ time. However, not willing to grant such a long time since the contempt petition had been pending since 2016, the judge wanted that amount to be paid to the petitioner in a week.

When the contemnors expressed their inability to pay the amount within such a short span of time, the judge wanted to know how much would they be able to pay.

The lawyer said it would not be possible for his clients to pay any amount within a week. Displeased with the submission, the judge said: “The petitioner has to get some amount. It is up to you to beg or borrow to settle him.”

Later, the judge told that the contemnors should pay ₹10 lakh to the finance firm within two weeks or face the music.

The duo had borrowed the money in August 2014 for making Enni Ezhu Naal, starring Karthi and Samantha, but did not repay it as per the terms of the loan agreement.

After the finance company filed a civil suit in 2015 to restrain the release of their movie titled ‘Rajini Murugan’, starring Siva Karthikeyan, they paid ₹30 lakh in 2016 and promised to settle the rest.