Kaantha Release Put On Hold After Bhagavathar’s Grandson Seeks Stay, Claims Film Portrays Actor Falsely

The release of the upcoming period drama thriller Kaantha, starring Dulquer Salmaan, has been temporarily halted following a legal challenge from the family of legendary Tamil actor MK Thyagaraja Bhagavathar.

The court in Chennai has issued notices to the film’s producers, including Salmaan, after Bhagavathar’s grandson sought a stay, alleging that the movie portrays the iconic actor in a defamatory manner.

Widely celebrated as the first superstar of Tamil cinema, Bhagavathar achieved unprecedented success with his 1944 film Haridas, which ran for 114 weeks, roughly 784 days, in theatres, a record that remained unbroken for five decades until Rajinikanth’s Chandramukhi (2005). However, his career faced turbulence following his implication in the murder of notorious journalist CN Lakshmikanthan, which significantly affected his public image.

According to reports by Live Law, Bhagavathar’s grandson, B Thiagarajan, has alleged that Kaantha depicts the late actor as someone with loose morals who became destitute and died in penury. “Contrary to what is being portrayed in the movie, my grandfather was a humble, devout, and kind-hearted man, who carried out a lot of charity, and had never smoked or consumed liquor in his life,” Thiagarajan stated.

The plaintiff further contended that the film was produced without the family’s consent. He noted that although character names have been altered, viewers could easily identify the real-life individuals depicted. The makers of Kaantha, however, have clarified that the film is not intended as a biopic of Bhagavathar.

Set in 1950s Madras, Kaantha follows the story of actor TK Mahadevan, nicknamed “Nadippu Chakravarthi” (Emperor of Acting), portrayed by Dulquer Salmaan. The film also stars Samuthirakani as a director named Ayya, Rana Daggubati as a police officer, and Bhagyashri Borse as the female lead, Kumari. According to promotional materials, the narrative revolves around ego, revenge, and emotional conflict between the characters played by Dulquer and Samuthirakani.

Seeking to prevent the release of the film, Thiagarajan has requested a permanent injunction to bar Kaantha from being screened, distributed, published, streamed, or shown in any format. The court has scheduled the next hearing for November 18. The film was originally slated for a worldwide release on November 14.