'Parasakthi' dues row: Why director Sudha Kongara is seeking a stay on 'Idhayam Murali' release

A major legal battle has hit the Tamil film industry. The Madras High Court has officially stepped in and put a temporary freeze on the satellite release of the hit movie, Parasakthi. This freeze will stay in place until July 8.

The court gave this order after the film's director, Sudha Kongara, filed a lawsuit. She claims the producers still owe her Rs 8.39 crore in unpaid salary. On top of that, she is also trying to block the production company from releasing their next film.

Contractual dispute

The roots of this fight go back to the original contract between Kongara and Dawn Pictures. Under that agreement, she handed over the full intellectual property rights of Parasakthi. In return, she was supposed to be paid a total of Rs 17.70 crore, which included GST.

The political drama movie starred big names like Sivakarthikeyan and Sreeleela. It hit the theatres in January 2026 and became an instant box office superhit. In fact, it crossed the Rs 100-crore mark in just 11 days before moving to OTT platforms.

Also Read: Story theft claim against Parasakthi: Madras HC orders probe

However, political critics point out that a recent change in the Tamil Nadu government caused the movie - and this major salary dispute - to lose its spotlight.

Going to court

Even though the producers openly celebrated the film’s massive profits, Kongara's legal team says she only received Rs 9.31 crore. Despite her repeatedly asking for it, she was not paid the remaining Rs 8.39 crore.

Tension boiled over when Dawn Pictures geared up to release their next big project, Idhayam Murali, on July 10. Kongara found it deeply unfair that the company could move forward with a brand-new movie while simultaneously claiming they did not have the money to clear her past dues.

Also Read: Sivakarthikeyan's Parasakthi review: When nuance gives way to slogans

Kongara took action by going to court, well ahead of the upcoming release date of Idhayam Murali. Her lawyers deliberately approached the judge early to ensure that the production house could not later complain that the lawsuit was a last-minute trick designed to ruin the release of their next film.

Justice Kumaresh Babu has ordered Dawn Pictures to file their official response by July 7. The next hearing is set for July 8.

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