Trouble looms over the production of Bollywood’s Ramayana as Madhu Mantena threatens legal action over unpaid dues and intellectual property rights. Will the film sail through this storm?
Bollywood’s ambitious project, the Ramayana film, finds itself entangled in a legal imbroglio as producer Madhu Mantena raises serious concerns over unpaid dues and intellectual property rights. The highly anticipated film, which has been in the making since 2021, has hit a roadblock just as it embarked on its shooting journey.
Madhu Mantena, one of the ex-producers of the film, has issued a public notice threatening legal consequences regarding the intellectual property rights of the Ramayana project. According to Mantena, the payment promised to him for his involvement in the project has not been fulfilled, despite assurances made by the other producer, Prime Focus Technologies Limited.
In a statement, Mantena’s legal representatives clarified that Prime Focus Technologies Limited had entered into an Assignment Agreement in April 2024 to acquire the Intellectual Property Rights of the Ramayana project. However, the assignment has not taken effect due to the non-payment of the agreed consideration amount to Mantena’s company, Allu Mantena Media Ventures LLP.
As per the notice, the rights in the Ramayana project, including the script and material based on the epic, continue to vest with Mantena’s company. Any use or exploitation of this material by Prime Focus Technologies Limited in their upcoming film ‘Ramayana,’ directed by Nitesh Tiwari, or by any associated parties, constitutes an infringement of Mantena’s copyright.
Also read: The Epic Journey of Ramayana: From Inception to Global Recognition
The situation casts a shadow over the future of the Ramayana film, raising questions about its production and release. With legal proceedings looming on the horizon, the film’s fate hangs in the balance, leaving fans and industry insiders on edge.
Additionally, the recent involvement of Kannada superstar Yash as a producer adds another layer of complexity to the situation. Will Yash step in to resolve the legal issues and salvage the Ramayana project? Only time will tell whether this Bollywood epic will sail through the storm or face further setbacks.
As the saga of the Ramayana film unfolds both on and off-screen, audiences await anxiously for updates on its progress and resolution of the legal challenges.
