The Sarkar team has obtained a U/A certificate from the CBFC, but the path to the film’s release still seems rocky. The Vijay-starrer has been embroiled in a plagiarism controversy with an assistant director, Varun Rajendran, claiming that AR Murugadoss stole his script to make Sarkar.
The case, filed by Varun earlier this week, is in court now, with the Madras HC asking the producer of the film, Sun Pictures, and director AR Murugadoss to respond.
The team remains optimistic that the case will be decided in their favour. It says that Varun’s allegations are unfounded and baseless. “The film is based on something that late actor and politician MG Ramachandran faced at a point in his life. It’s ludicrous to claim that the script is a copy,” the spokesperson said.
The South Indian Writers Association is believed to be firmly on the side of Varun, we are told. Varun had first approached the Union with a complaint against Murugadoss. After careful investigation, President of the Union, Bhagyaraj, found a lot of similarities between Varun’s Sengol and Sarkar. The Union has decided to back Varun in his legal case against AR Murugadoss, but will not be able to take action against the director, a spokesperson told Silverscreen.
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Meanwhile, another assistant director, Anbu Rajasekar, has filed a police complaint with the Chennai police commissioner against AR Murugadoss and four others involved with 2014 movie Kaththi. Anbu accused Murugadoss of using his short film, Thagaboomi, to make Kaththi. He has requested a blanket ban on all movies made by Murugadoss till a solution can be found to his issue.
Both these complaints threaten to derail Sarkar’s release. But it’s business as usual for AR Murugadoss, who is facing his second plagiarism complaint in court and his third overall, and Sun Pictures, who assure us that nothing can stop the release of the movie.
Promotions are on in full swing, said a spokesperson for the film. “November 6th, you will see us onscreen,” he added.