Shankar gets a huge shock from ED

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has attached assets worth ₹10.11 crore belonging to director S. Shankar, known for the 2010 film Enthiran (Robot) starring Rajinikanth, in connection with a money laundering case stemming from plagiarism allegations. The ED's action, taken under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), marks a potentially unprecedented move in India concerning copyright violations in filmmaking.

The case originates from a 2011 complaint filed by author Aarur Tamilnadan, who alleges that the storyline of Enthiran was copied from his story Jiguba. The complaint, filed in Chennai, accuses Shankar of violating the Copyright Act, 1957 and the Indian Penal Code (IPC).

Enthiran, a blockbuster that grossed ₹290 crore worldwide, saw Shankar receive ₹11.5 crore for his contributions including story development and direction. The ED investigation and a report from the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII) highlighted "striking" similarities between Jiguba and Enthiran, reinforcing the plagiarism claims.

The ED stated that Shankar's alleged violation of Section 63 of the Copyright Act, 1957, now classified as a scheduled offense under the PMLA, prompted the asset attachment order issued on February 17th.