Dulquer Salmaan's Kaantha lands in legal trouble ahead of release

Kaantha in legal trouble

Just days before its scheduled release on November 14, Dulquer Salmaan’s much-awaited period drama Kaantha has encountered a legal hurdle. B. Thiagarajan, the grandson of the famous actor and singer Thyagaraja Bhagavathar, has filed a case in a Chennai court to stop the movie from coming out.

Live Law says that Thiagarajan said that Kaantha portrays his grandfather, the famous actor and Carnatic musician M. K. Thyagaraja Bhagavathar (MKT), in a bad and false way.

The suit says that the movie presents Bhagavathar as “a man of loose morals” who lived his final years in blindness and poverty, a representation the petitioner describes as “false, misleading, and disrespectful.”

Thiagarajan noted that Bhagavathar, beloved in Tamil cinema and classical music for his humility and dedication, retained his dignity despite being falsely implicated in a criminal case and led an honourable life till his death in 1959.

Legal Reasons and Requests The petitioner also said that filmmakers need to get permission from the legal heirs of famous people or historical figures before they show them in any kind of media. He said that the people who wrote Kaantha didn't have permission to do so, and that their portrayal hurts Bhagavathar's legacy.

Consequently, Thiagarajan urged the court to seek a permanent injunction preventing the film’s theatrical premiere, distribution, and digital streaming.

While the makers have not released an official statement regarding the controversy, Dulquer Salmaan had earlier clarified in interviews that Kaantha is a fictional narrative and not based on any real-life individual.

Kaantha is Selvamani Selvaraj directed Kaantha, which was co-produced by Rana Daggubati and Dulquer Salmaan.

Dulquer plays the main character, along with Samuthirakani and Bhagyashri Borse. The period drama takes place in a rich historical setting and is one of the most anticipated movies of the season.

Now that the legal battle has started, everyone is waiting to see what the Chennai court decides. This might decide if Kaantha comes out in theaters on the planned release date.