M T Vasudevan Nair withdraws from mega film project

KOZHIKODE

: The film adaptation of Jnanpith laureate

M T Vasudevan Nair

's novel '

Randamoozham

' has run into trouble with the writer withdrawing from the project and initiating legal action demanding return of the script.


Acting on his petition, Kozhikode additional munsiff court-1 on Thursday issued an interim order restraining director V A Shrikumar Menon, managing director of Earth and Air Films Pvt Ltd, from using the screenplay penned by Nair till the court disposes of the case.

Nair, who had written the screenplay both in Malayalam and English, had in the petition sought return of the script citing that the agreement entered with Earth and Air Films Pvt Ltd has expired and that the makers of the film have failed to commence shooting within the three-year contract period.

The Shrikumar Menon directorial was touted to be India's most expensive film with a budget of Rs 1,000 crore with NRI businessman B R Shetty as producer and starring actor Mohanlal in the lead role. Randamoozham, which is widely considered to be the masterpiece of Nair, tells the story of Mahabharata from the perspective of

Bhima

. The novel had won the Vayalar Award in 1985.

Nair said that the contract was for a period of three years and as per the agreement, the shooting of the film was to commence within that period. "But it is almost four years now and the shooting has not started. So, I am taking steps through court to get it back," he added.

Responding to the development, Menon said in a Facebook post that the film will happen and that he will personally visit Nair to provide explanation on the matter.

"It is my fault that I couldn't update MT sir about the progress of the project. I will visit him personally and explain the matter. He wishes to see the film Randamoozham become a reality at the earliest and I will fulfil that wish," Menon said.

"Earlier, I used to update him regularly about the progress of the project either directly or through phone. But I couldn't do it during the last several weeks as the post production works of my movie 'Odiyan' was underway. He might have got apprehensions over that and I will personally meet him and would tender my apologies for it," the director said, adding that the pre- production works of the film were in the final stages and he was planning to commence the shooting of the film in July 2019.

The court has posted the case to October 25.