The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has provisionally attached three immovable properties worth Rs 10 crore belonging to renowned director Shankar. This action comes in connection with a long-standing legal dispute over copyright claims related to his blockbuster film ‘Enthiran‘. Reports earlier in the day revealed that the properties registered under Shankar’s name were seized following allegations of copyright infringement. According to Hindustan Times, further findings from the investigation revealed that Shankar had received Rs 11.5 crore as remuneration for his contributions to ‘Enthiran’, which included story development, screenplay, dialogues, and direction. Following this, the ED proceeded to attach three immovable properties under Shankar’s name as part of its legal action. The move has sparked significant media attention, with many speculating about its implications for the acclaimed filmmaker.
Reacting to the ED’s decision, Shankar issued a strong statement dismissing the allegations as “baseless plagiarism claims.” He asserted that the legal action was a misinterpretation of facts and an unjust misuse of legal provisions. The director also noted that, despite the widespread media reports, he had received no official communication from the ED regarding the property attachment.
The controversy dates back to 2011 when writer Aarur Tamilnadan filed a legal complaint with the 13th Metropolitan Magistrate Court in Egmore, alleging that the blockbuster film ‘Enthiran’ had borrowed extensively from his story titled ‘Jiguba’ without permission. Tamilnadan claimed that several key elements, themes, and narrative structures from his work were replicated in the film without credit. His complaint was lodged under the Copyright Act of 1957, prompting legal scrutiny into the matter. Following this, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) initiated an investigation, which reportedly revealed “striking similarities” between ‘Jiguba’ and ‘Enthiran’. The findings raised serious questions regarding the originality of the film’s storyline, leading to further legal proceedings and subsequent action against director Shankar’s assets.
