Filmmaker Shankar REACTS to being under copyright case by Enforcement Directorate; ‘I am deeply disheartened…’

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Director Shankar found himself embroiled in a dispute over copyrights for the film Enthiran, which led to scrutiny by the Enforcement Directorate. According to news reports, assets valued at approximately 10.11 crores have been taken and linked to this case under provisions of the PMLA Act (Prevention of Money Laundering Act).

Now, the filmmaker has spoken up about the situation. As reported by News18, Shankar issued a formal statement, voicing his profound disappointment regarding the significant action taken by the ED, even though there were clear legal indications that no copyright infringement took place initially.

Ignoring it as an unsubstantiated claim, he stated, “I’d like to draw the public’s attention to a recent move by the Chennai Zonal Office of the Directorate of Enforcement. They have temporarily seized three of my properties, allegedly due to groundless claims of plagiarism in relation to the film Enthiran (Robot).

Shankar stated that up until now, he has not been formally informed by the Economic Department (ED) about any seizure of his assets. All information suggesting otherwise appears to be from media reports. He characterized this situation as an ‘abuse of the legal process’.

Near the closing, the director also conveyed optimism that relevant officials might reconsider and reassess their actions, ultimately halting any additional involvement in this particular issue.

According to him, he believes the authorities will examine their actions and halt any more actions related to this issue. If they don’t, he won’t have any other option than to challenge the attachment order.

For those unfamiliar, a copyright dispute involving a filmmaker originated from a complaint submitted by author Aurur Tamilnadan to a city court in 2011.

In simpler terms, the person claimed that the storyline of the movie starring Rajinikanth, a Tamil sci-fi action film, resembled their own tale named “Jiguba.” As a result, they alleged that director Shankar had infringed on their copyright under the Copyright Act.

Through multiple investigations by the authorities, it was discovered that the two stories shared striking similarities, particularly in their characters, themes, and the way the story progressed.

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2025-02-22 10:37