The Madras High Court has directed filmmaker Gautham Vasudev Menon and his production company, Photon Factory, to refund ₹4.25 crore with 12% annual interest to RS Infotainment, closing a legal battle over an unmade Tamil film that has lasted more than a decade.
A Division Bench of Justices P. Velmurugan and K. Govindarajan Thilakavadi dismissed Menon’s appeal against a 2022 single‑judge ruling, upholding the earlier judgment that favored RS Infotainment. The court concluded there was no reason to interfere with the previous order.
The dispute dates back to 2008, when RS Infotainment agreed to finance a film, referred to as “Production No.6.” The project was scheduled to begin in December 2008 and be completed by April 2009, with total funding of ₹13.5 crore. RS Infotainment advanced ₹4.25 crore to Menon’s company, but the film never went into production.
RS Infotainment later filed a civil suit claiming breach of contract, seeking repayment of the money it had advanced along with interest. They argued that despite providing significant funds, the production never began and no tangible progress was made.
Menon and Photon Factory countered that the project faced delays because RS Infotainment failed to make scheduled payments. They also stated that the funds already received had been used for production-related expenses, including payments to actors, technicians, and other costs.
However, both the single judge and the Division Bench ruled that the financier was entitled to recover the money since the agreed work had not started. The court ordered Menon and his company to refund the ₹4.25 crore along with interest until full repayment is made.
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