Producers and US-Europe distributors in a tussle over Kalki 2898 AD shares.Despite grossing over ₹1000 crore worldwide, "Kalki 2898 AD," Nag Ashwin's sci-fi epic starring Prabhas, Deepika Padukone, Amitabh Bachchan, and Kamal Haasan, is facing a major financial dispute with its US and European distributors.
A leaked email from the production house, Vyjayanthi Movies, reveals that the producers are accusing the distributors of withholding their share of the film's earnings. While the email claims the film grossed $1.3 million in the US and Europe, the distributors are allegedly claiming losses and refusing to pay the remaining ₹2 crore owed to Vyjayanthi.
Sources from the production house confirm the authenticity of the email and explain that the distributors were given a ₹5 crore advance, but are now alleging that the film only made ₹3 crore in the region. Vyjayanthi claims that the distributors have also engaged in malpractice with regard to billing for censorship and publicity costs.
The email, which has been leaked to social media, gives the distributors 48 hours to settle the remaining dues before the production house pursues legal action through the film chamber.
This dispute casts a shadow over the film's box office triumph, which had made "Kalki 2898 AD" the highest-grossing Indian film of the first half of 2024. The producers' decision to seek legal action underscores the severity of the situation and highlights the potential pitfalls of international distribution deals.
While neither party has officially commented on the dispute, the leaked email and subsequent confirmation from Vyjayanthi Movies paint a picture of a contentious situation. The outcome of this legal battle could have significant implications for future Indian film releases in the international market.