The Madras High Court on Wednesday (August 19, 2026) ordered notice to film producer Shruthi Nallappa of Miracle Movies on a civil suit filed by actor Ravi Mohan, accusing her of defaming him by writing e-mails to Netflix, South Indian Film Chamber of Commerce, and others over a dispute related to the movie Bro Club.
Justice K. Govindarajan Thilakavadi ordered issuance of court notice as well as private notice, returnable by August 25, 2026, seeking the producer’s response to the actor’s plea to restrain her from publishing, communicating, or disseminating any statement defamatory of him.
Senior counsel R. Parthasarathy, representing the plaintiff, told the court that Miracle Movies was supposed to produce the multi-starrer movie Bro Code, subsequently renamed Bro Club, and that Mr. Mohan had been engaged to act in the lead role in it alongside S.J. Suryah and Arjun Ashokan.
The film never took off and therefore, the plaintiff took over the production under his banner Ravi Mohan Studios, and Miracle Movies agreed to the deal. However, now, Ms. Nallappa had been going about complaining that the plaintiff had not settled the pre-production expenses incurred by her, he said.
Even if there were any dues, the defendant ought to have filed a money suit either before the High Court or the City Civil Court for recovery of her money, but she cannot go about writing e-mails to Netflix with whom Ravi Mohan Studios had entered into an agreement for OTT rights, the senior counsel said.
Reading out one of the e-mails, he said, the defendant had gone to the extent of requesting Netflix not to advance any further amount of money to Ravi Mohan Studios towards the digital rights of the movie until the plaintiff settles all the pre-production investments made by her along with interest.
Further, highlighting the consequences of the allegations levelled by the defendant, Mr. Parthasarathy said, Netflix, in turn, had forwarded the e-mail to Ravi Mohan Studios and said that the latter must resolve such third-party disputes, besides indemnifying the streaming service provider from any claims/damages.
“It is an admitted fact that I have become the producer of the movie, but she is going about writing to Netflix, the film chamber of commerce, and others, defaming me. What right does she have to do this? This has given rise to a cause of action for the filing of the present suit,” the senior counsel said.
Published – August 19, 2026 04:01 pm IST
