Animal OTT Release On Hold After Sandeep Reddy Vanga Film Lands In Legal Trouble

Earlier, 'Animal' was slated for a Netflix release on January 26, 2024 but now it seems a legal dispute has derailed the plans.

Earlier, 'Animal' was slated for a Netflix release on January 26, 2024 but now it seems a legal dispute has derailed the plans.

Source : IMDb

New Delhi: Ranbir Kapoor, Rashmika Mandanna starrer 'Animal' will take some more time before heading towards an OTT platform before release. Directed by Sandeep Reddy Vanga, 'Animal' set the box office on fire ever since its release on December 1, 2023. Earlier, 'Animal' was slated for a Netflix release on January 26, 2024 but now it seems a legal dispute has derailed the plans.

Cine 1 Studios, co-prodcer of 'Animal' , has approached the Delhi High Court seeking a stay on its release on OTT platforms, digital streaming platforms and its satellite broadcast.

The production house alleged a breach of agreement and said it was not paid a single penny, and another co-co-producer Super Cassettes Industries Pvt Ltd contended ₹ 2.6 crore was paid to the plaintiff which it did not disclose to the court, news agency PTI reported.

The lawsuit was filed against T-Series in the Delhi High Court alleging non-payment of dues and seeking a stay on the film's OTT release.

As per several reports, the studio claims that T-Series failed to fulfil its financial obligations concerning the intellectual property rights of the film.

News agency PTI reported the proceedings of the court in a report. Senior advocate Sandeep Sethi, representing Cine 1 Studios, said the plaintiff did not get any information about the revenue the film earned, its collection at the box office, the music, satellite or internet rights.

"They (Super Cassettes) have been collecting all the money but I have not been paid a single penny... I have a long relationship with them but they have no respect for the agreement. I had the regard for the relationship and the sanctity of the contract, therefore, I did not rush to court," he submitted, reported the agency.

The plaint said the two production houses had entered into an agreement to produce the film. Under the agreement, Cine 1 claimed, it had a 35 per cent profit share and was entitled to 35 per cent intellectual property rights in the movie.

The plaint claimed without Cine 1's approval, Super Cassettes incurred expenses for making/ promoting/ releasing the film, received revenues from the box office sales but did not share the details with it. Super Cassettes also did not pay any money to the plaintiff despite the profit-share agreement. it claimed.

Senior advocate Amit Sibal, representing Super Cassettes, submitted the plaintiff invested no money in the film and all expenses were borne by his client.

Apprising the judge of a document signed between the parties, he contended the plaintiff concealed from the court that on August 2, 2022 it had given up all its intellectual property rights in the film.

"In the amended agreement, he (Cine 1) has deleted the clause where he got 35 per cent of intellectual property right in the film.... All this has been given up for consideration of ₹ 2.6 crore for which he raised an invoice," Sibal said.