Veteran Tamil director Shankar's assets seized by ED
Entertainment Director Shankar faces legal scrutiny as the Enforcement Directorate confiscates assets totalling 10 crores INR($101K), under money laundering regulations.
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has seized assets worth ₹10 crore ($101K) of veteran Tamil director Shankar under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002, according to a recent report.
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Copyright infringement case over Robot
The case stems from a legal battle between Shankar and writer Aarur Tamilnadan over the 2011 film Robot. Tamilnadan alleged that the director plagiarised his story, Jiguba, leading to a copyright infringement dispute.
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A private investigation conducted by the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII) found significant similarities between Jiguba and Robot, including key story arcs and characters.
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ED’s Official Statement
The ED released an official statement regarding the case:
"Based on substantial evidence and records in hand, it has been determined that S. Shankar has violated Section 63 of the Copyright Act, 1957, a violation now classified as a scheduled offence under the PMLA, 2002."
Robot’s Box Office Success and Shankar’s Earnings
Robot, a sci-fi blockbuster starring Rajinikanth and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, grossed over ₹280 crore ($32 million) worldwide. The investigation revealed that Shankar was paid ₹11.5 crore ($115K) for directing the film. The movie, produced by Sun Pictures, later spawned a sequel in 2018.
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A Challenging Time for Shankar
This controversy comes at a difficult time for Shankar, as his last two films, Indian 2, starring Kamal Haasan, and Game Changer, starring Ram Charan were massive box-office failures.
Both Shankar and writer Aarur Tamilnadan have not released a statement yet on this new development.
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