'Mersal' maker faces rights SCAM, Malaysian firm alleges Rs 30 crore fraud, legal battle underway

A legal case has been filed in the Chennai Saidapet Court against Murali, the owner of Thenandal Films, for allegedly defrauding a Malaysian company by failing to deliver overseas distribution rights for the films 'Petta' and 'Kanchana-3'. Murali, popular for producing Vijay's 'Mersal', had entered into an agreement with Malik Stream Corporation, a Malaysia-based company, promising the overseas rights for the two Sun Pictures productions.According to The Hindu, the complaint, in 2018, Malik Stream Corporation had paid Murali Rs 30 crore as part of the agreement. However, Murali was said to have failed to furnish the overseas rights for the films 'Petta' and 'Kanchana-3' as agreed with the party. Instead of handing over the entire royalties, he was said to have returned only ₹15 crore to the Malaysian company, while pocketing the remainder. This breach prompted the company to file a complaint with the Chennai Central Crime Branch.Later, Murali allegedly attempted to return Rs 10 crore to the Malik Stream Corporation through a bank cheque. Unfortunately, the cheque bounced because there were not enough funds in the account. Following this, a cheque fraud case was filed against the filmmaker at Saidapet Court. Murali was accused of cheating the company, taking a huge amount of money, and failing to provide the promised services, throwing the Malaysian company into losses.The issue has now turned into a significant matter, creating a buzz in the film industry due to the reputation of the movies involved. Legal action is currently being pursued with the Chennai Saidapet Court for settlement of the dues owed and guilty action against Murali. The matter has given way to certain risk parameters connected to the overseas film rights and contract.Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and is based on reported news of court proceedings and legal claims. It does not constitute legal advice or a definitive statement on the outcome of the case. Readers should not rely solely on this information for making legal or commercial decisions.