Gautam Vasudev Menon. file | Photo Courtesy: B Velankanni Raj
The Madras High Court on Monday (March 23, 2026) dismissed the appeal jointly filed by film director Gautham Vasudev Menon and his partnership firm Photon Factory against a single judge’s order directing them to pay ₹ 4.25 crore along with interest at the rate of 12% per annum since May 2010 to another film production firm called RS Infotainment led by S Allred Kumar.
Justice P. Velmurugan and Justice K. The division bench of Govindarajan Thilakavady refused to entertain the appeal filed in May 2022 and upheld the order passed by Justice Senthilkumar Ramamurthy on April 5, 2022. The single judge order was passed on a civil suit filed by RS Infotainment in 2013, accusing Mr Menon of not completing what was described as a ‘production number’ in an unnamed film. 6.’
Justice Ramamurthy had pointed out that RS Infotainment and Photon Factory, in which Escape Artist’s P. Madan was also one of the partners, had entered into an agreement for the production of a Tamil film on November 27, 2008, which was said to be ‘Production No. 6.’ As per the terms of the agreement, RS Infotainment had agreed to pay ₹13.5 crore to the Photon factory for the production costs.
The agreement also contemplated that production should begin on 10 December 2008 and be completed by 5 April 2009. The agreement further states that if the film is not completed within the stipulated time frame then Photon Factory will have to pay ₹13.5 crore along with interest at the rate of 24% per annum as RS Infotainment will be the producer and negative rights holder.
As per the agreement, RS Infotainment paid ₹4.25 crore to Photon Factory in various installments, but the production of the film never started. However, on 12 February 2010, the plaintiff had agreed to grant more time to complete the ‘Production Number’. 6′ But when this did not happen for years, the company decided to file a civil suit in 2013 claiming damages.
Fighting the suit, Mr Menon and his partnership firm accused RS Infotainment of not discharging its obligation to pay the total agreed amount of ₹13.5 crore as per the stipulated time. Nevertheless, while managing to raise the funds, he also claimed that he originally intended to cast actor STR aka Silambarasan in the ‘production number’. 6′ but later he was replaced by actor Jeeva for the lead role in the film.
The defendants also said, ‘Production no. 6’ was given a tentative title of ‘Nithya’, but eventually released in theaters under the title on 14 December 2012. Neethane N Ponvasantham. He claimed that his obligation towards RS Infotainment has been fulfilled in view of the release of the film. Mr Menon himself entered the witness box and gave his own examination as well as cross-examination in the trial.
However, after examining the oral evidence given by Mr Kumar and Mr Menon as well as documents related to the case, Justice Ramamurthy found that Neethane N Ponvasantham It was produced as per an agreement of ₹13.27 crore signed between RS Infotainment, Photon Factory and Mr. Menon on July 6, 2011 and had nothing to do with the 2008 agreement regarding ‘production numbers’. 6.’
The judge also held that there was nothing on record to prove that ₹4.25 crore was paid by RS Infotainment for the ‘production number’. 6′ was used for production neithen n ponvasantham. Therefore, he directed Mr. Menon and his partnership firm to repay ₹4.25 crore with interest at the rate of 12% per annum since 2010, besides paying costs of ₹12 lakh (including ₹9.57 lakh for court fees and ₹2.5 lakh for lawyer’s fees).
published – March 23, 2026 03:40 PM IST