In a brief but keenly followed hearing on Friday, the Madras High Court refused to grant an interim stay on the re-release of Kamal Haasan’s celebrated film Nayagan. The film, initially released in 1987, is scheduled to return to theatres as part of birthday celebrations for the actor. The courtroom saw arguments over who exactly holds the rights to digitally re-release the film, a debate layered with industry practices and paperwork complexities.
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Background
The petition was filed by SR Film Factory, a Karnataka-based company, claiming exclusive rights to re-release and digitally remaster Nayagan across Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and Karnataka. The company stated that it had lawfully secured these rights through an agreement dated October 11, 2023, valid until November 17, 2035. It said it paid ₹60 lakh for the rights covering theatrical digital exhibition and distribution.
According to SR Film Factory, while preparing the restored version, it discovered promotional materials announcing that Nayagan would be re-released soon by other entities. Feeling blindsided, the company alleged that ATM Production, Surabhi Enterprises, and VS Film International-who originally held rights-had concealed the prior agreement and were now collaborating with Qube Cinemas and UFO Movies to push their own release.
This, the petitioner argued, violated its exclusive rights under the Copyright Act.
Court’s Observations
Justice N Senthilkumar heard detailed submissions, especially on the nature of the rights transfer. Counsel for the respondents, including Advocate Vijayan Subramaniam, insisted that VS Film International possessed a valid license permitting re-release and that SR Film Factory had not produced enough evidence to show copyright infringement.
At one point, the bench remarked, “On a preliminary view, there is no clear material to show exclusive control being suppressed or breached.”
The judge noted that the petitioner’s claim rested heavily on an agreement whose implications were disputed, and the court could not at this stage stop an already-announced re-release solely on allegations without deeper examination.
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Decision
The High Court refused to issue an interim injunction. The judge stated that there was no prima facie case strong enough to justify halting the film’s return to theatres. The bench directed the respondents to file their counter affidavits so the matter could be examined in full through the regular suit process.
The matter will now proceed without disturbing the upcoming re-release.
Case Title: SR Film Factory v. ATM Production & Others
Case Number: OA No. 1051/2025 & CS (Comm. Div.) No. 280/2025
Court: Madras High Court
Bench: Justice N. Senthilkumar
Primary Issue: Dispute over rights for the re-release and digital remastering of the film Nayagan.
Petitioner: SR Film Factory (Karnataka)
Respondents:
- ATM Production
- Surabhi Enterprises
- VS Film International
- Qube Cinemas & UFO Movies (for distribution support)