The Madras High Court has asked actor Sivakarthikeyan why he filed a complaint about salary arrears three years later. Hearing the matter on Friday, Judge M. Sundar asked, “Why did you wait three years to file the petition?” The court also questioned Sivakarthikeyan on why he filed another plea when there was already one pending in the case. The matter was subsequently deferred for hearing on April 13.
Sivakarthikeyan had filed a plea with the Madras High Court, demanding that producer Gnanavel Raja pay him Rs 4 crore in arrears from his salary for the film Mr Local. He has also demanded to ban the producer’s current films from being released.
The movie was released on May 17, 2019, but the producer only paid Rs 11 crores, leaving the remaining 4 crores unpaid, the actor alleged. The balance did not arrive despite several reminders. Sivakarthikeyan was also slapped with an unexpected notification from the Income Tax Department on February 1 this year.
The producer, Gnanavel Raja, responded to the case in his appeal, stating that he did not like the story of the film Mr Local and that the film was made because Sivakarthikeyan forced Rajesh to direct it, costing him Rs 20 crore.
But Sivakarthikeyan had ruthlessly pressured him to pay the remaining Rs 2 crore 40 lakhs along with taxes, he further alleged. Later, when the distributors were in crisis over the loss incurred on the film, Sivakarthikeyan told the makers not to pay Rs 2 crore 40 lakh, to not get the distributors in trouble.
In the meantime, Sivakarthikeayn will appear in the upcoming Tamil-language action-comedy Don. Cibi Chakaravarthi has written and directed the film. Don stars Sivakarthikeayn as the protagonist, with Priyanka Arul Mohan, S. J. Suryah, Samuthirakani, and Soori in supporting roles. Don will be released in theatres on May 13.
