The Madras High Court has ordered that the remuneration of ₹2.60 crore, to be paid by media company Stone Bench Creations Private Limited, to actor Vishal for his yet-to-be-titled movie, temporarily called ‘Vishal 34’, be paid to the credit a 2021 civil suit filed by production house Lyca Productions, to realise dues of over ₹30 crore from the actor.
Justice P.T. Asha also directed the actor to produce, by September 19 2023, the statements of all bank accounts held by him either in his name or in the name of concerns in which he had an interest. The statements should reflect the transactions that had taken place from January 1, 2021 to September 13, 2023, she said.
Further, the judge also ordered that the actor must submit the details of all movable and immovable assets owned by him along with documents to prove their title, and warned that the court would not hesitate to initiate proceedings for perjury against him if he misled the court.
Justice Asha also directed the actor to submit a roadmap, listing out the mode in which he would repay the dues to Lyca Productions, which had, in 2019, discharged his liability of ₹21.29 crore that was due to film financier G. Anbuchezhian from whom the actor had taken a loan of ₹15 crore in 2016 to make the movie ‘Marudhu’.
On finding that the actor had not produced or financed any movie since March 2022, but had only been engaged as an actor in movies produced by others, the judge permitted the release of his movie ‘Mark Antony’ after finding that the producer had already paid the remuneration of ₹6 crore to the actor in 2021 itself.
However, in so far as his next movie, tentatively called ‘Vishal 34’, the judge found that the producer Stone Bench Creations had agreed to pay him a total remuneration of ₹8 crore, inclusive of Tax Deducted at Source, of which ₹5.40 crore was already paid to him and only ₹2.60 crore was due.
Since Lyca Productions had taken out a garnishee (a third party to whom a direction can be issued by the court) application, the judge said: “This amount shall be deposited, as and when it is due by the garnishee, to the credit of the civil suit pending since 2021.”
The Registry was directed to list the case again on September 19 for passing further orders.
