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Why has Gautham Vasudev Menon been ordered to pay up Dh16.7 million?
A production company, which had approached the award-winning filmmaker for a project that didn't materialise, sought a refund of money paid
- PUBLISHED: Tue 24 Mar 2026, 10:21 AM
An Indian court has dismissed an appeal by director Gautham Vasudev Menon and a production company in which he is a partner, directing them to pay to Rs 4.25 crore (Dh16.7 million approximately) to RS Infotainment Pvt. Ltd., in a dispute pertaining to non-fulfilment of an agreement on a movie.
The court, while dismissing the appeal by the noted Tamil and Malayalam filmmaker, directed him and Photon Factory to pay the amount along with 12 per cent interest per annum from May 2010, according to The Hindu.
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The dispute stems from the fact that RS Infotainment, led by Elred Kumar, had paid the amount to Menon—who had helmed movies such as Vaaranam Aayiram, Minnale, Rehnaa Hai Tere Dil Mein and Kaakha Kaakha—for a movie, tentatively titled 'production no. 6'. Kumar contended that the amount was paid for production costs of the movie, which remains uncompleted till date.
Kumar eventually filed a suit seeking return of the money.
A division bench of the Madras High Court upheld a single judge order in 2022 on a civil suit, which had directed Menon to return the money.
The single judge, according to the Indian publication, had noted that the funds were retained without initiating production and Menon and his partner company didn't provide details of expenditure towards the project.
Apart from directing movies, Menon is also a screenwriter and actor. He has directed predominantly in Tamil, with his other hits coming in Telugu, Hindi and Malayalam film industries.
Movies he has directed include Gharshana and Ye Maaya Chesave in Telugu, Ek Deewana Tha and Rehna Hai Tere Dil Mein in Hindi and Dominic and the Ladies Purse in Malayalam.
Menon is also the recipient of two Indian National Film Awards. In 2013, he produced the Tamil film starring Ram Thanga Meenkal, which won the Indian National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Tamil.
He assisted the critically acclaimed filmmaker and cinematographer Rajiv Menon before venturing to direct movies on his own.