Sudha Kongara moves Madras HC against Parasakthi makers over Rs 8.39 cr unpaid dues

4 min readJun 30, 2026 02:07 PM IST

Sudha Kongara's Parasakthi featured Sivakarthikeyan, Ravi Mohan, Atharvaa, and Sreeleela in the lead roles. (Credit: IMDb; enhanced using AI)

After being mired in a censorship hurdle ahead of its January 2026 release, the Tamil period political action drama Parasakthi has once again found itself embroiled in controversy, with its director, Sudha Kongara, moving the Madras High Court against its producers over unpaid remuneration. Sudha reportedly claimed in her petition that she has yet to receive about Rs 8.39 crore from Dawn Pictures, which bankrolled Parasakthi, for her work on the film.

Sudha Kongara demands stay on Idhayam Murali

Meanwhile, Sudha has also sought a stay on the release of director Aakash Baskaran’s Idhayam Murali, also produced by Dawn Pictures. Idhayam Murali is scheduled to hit the screens on Friday, July 10, with its promotions progressing in full swing. The film features Atharvaa, Kayadu Lohar, Fahadh Faasil, Preity Mukhundhan, and S Thaman in key roles.

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In her petition, Sudha reportedly claimed that despite invoices being raised after she had fulfilled her duties, Dawn Pictures had yet to pay her a substantial portion of her remuneration.

Inside Rs 17.70 crore remuneration dispute over Parasakthi

Informing the court that the production company was supposed to pay her a total of Rs 17.70 crore as remuneration, including Rs 2.70 crore GST, as per the agreement between them, the plaintiff stated that she has received only Rs 9.31 crore thus far.

Pointing out that the producers had declared Parasakthi a success, claiming it earned Rs 100 crore, Sudha’s counsel stated that she has still not been paid in full for her work. The counsel also apprised the court that, amid this, Dawn Pictures was proceeding with the release of Idhayam Murali while claiming an inability to clear Sudha’s dues.

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Barring the satellite release of Parasakthi until July 8, Justice Kumaresh Babu of the Madras High Court directed the respondent to file its counter against Sudha’s plea to stop Idhayam Murali’s release by July 7. The matter will be heard again on Wednesday, July 8.

From censorship hurdles to box office underperformance

One of the biggest Tamil films of the year, Parasakthi, starring Sivakarthikeyan, Ravi Mohan, Atharvaa, and Sreeleela in the lead roles, hit the screens on January 10, coinciding with this year’s Pongal season. However, the movie’s release was uncertain until the last minute due to the non-receipt of a Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) nod. Nevertheless, the film received a UA 16+ certificate on January 9, just a day ahead of its scheduled release.

Although Parasakthi was slated to lock horns at the box office with director H Vinoth’s Jana Nayagan, which was supposed to be Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Vijay’s swansong before his full-fledged political entry, the latter’s release was indefinitely postponed, also owing to censorship controversy.

However, Parasakthi failed to capitalise on this and underperformed at the box office, grossing just Rs 85.10 crore worldwide, as per industry tracker Sacnilk, against a reported budget of Rs 150 crore. Nonetheless, Sudha’s counsel has reportedly informed the court that Parasakthi was a success according to Dawn Pictures, and earned Rs 100 crore.

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Disclaimer: This article provides factual reporting on ongoing legal proceedings and industry developments. The financial details, box office collection data, and contract dispute specifics mentioned are based solely on court filings and industry trackers, and should not be construed as financial or legal advice.

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