Interim stay on Jagan Mohini release!

The Madras High Court on Tuesday restrained H. Murali, of Murali Cine Arts, from releasing the Namitha-starrer Jaganmohini till October 15.

Justice G. Rajasuria passed the interim order on an application by A.Alagappan, producer cum distributor. In his affidavit, Alagappan has said that he had filed a suit against Murali for the recovery of Rs.12,16,000 together with further interest under a distribution agreement of January 2004 by way of refund of the additional security of Rs. 4 lakh with respect to the distribution rights of the Tamil picture Bose.

He submitted that he had paid Rs.40 lakh to the respondent on minimum guarantee basis under the agreement and also additional security of Rs.4 lakh over and above the minimum guarantee amount. But Bose did not run well on release. He suffered a loss. Being a minimum guarantee agreement, he could not ask for the deficit from the respondent of the minimum guarantee of Rs.40 lakh. But he was entitled to get refund of Rs. 4 lakh paid as additional deposit.

The distribution period of five years ended on January this year. Since then he had been asking for the refund of the additional deposit with interest, but the respondent had all along been promising to settle the dues, stating that only at the time of release of his forthcoming film would he be in a position to settle them.

He waited so long, but it was of no avail. He came to know that the respondent was attempting to release the film Jaganmohini all of a sudden without publicity, the applicant said.

After hearing the petition, Justice Raja Surya has passed this interim order.

Meanwhile, actor Srikanth has also filed a complaint in Producer council against the release of Jagan Mohini. According to him, H Murali, the producer of Jagan Mohini borrowed Rs 20 lakhs from him to release the film Bose (starred by Srikanth), but is yet to repay the entire amount. He seeks the help of producer council to get back his amount before the release of Jagan Mohini.