Rajinikanth-starrer ‘Enthiran’ in plagiarism row, ED attaches director Shankar’s assets
The action, which came earlier this week, follows a legal battle over copyright infringement with writer Aarur Tamilnadan over the 2011 film
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Enthiran hit screens on October 1, 2010.The Directorate of Enforcement (ED) has provisionally attached three immovable properties registered in the name of celebrated filmmaker S Shankar, amounting to a total value of Rs 10.11 crore, under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002. The action, taken on February 17, follows a long-standing legal battle over allegations of copyright infringement surrounding Shankar’s 2010 blockbuster film, ‘Enthiran’ (Robot).
The ED initiated its investigation based on a complaint filed by writer Aarur Tamilnadan before the 13th Metropolitan Magistrate Court in Egmore, in Chennai city, on May 19, 2011. Tamilnadan’s complaint said that ‘Enthiran’, starring superstar Rajinikanth and Aishwarya Rai, had copied significant elements from his original story, ‘Jiguba’. The allegations extend to violations under the Copyright Act, 1957, and the Indian Penal Code (IPC), 1860.
The investigation revealed that Shankar received a substantial remuneration of Rs 11.5 crore for his work on ‘Enthiran’, including story development, screenplay, dialogues, and direction. The movie, produced by Sun Pictures, was a commercial triumph, grossing Rs 290 crore globally and setting box-office records as an all-time blockbuster.
A critical development in the investigation came through an independent report by the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII). The report found “striking similarities” between ‘Jiguba’ and ‘Enthiran’, particularly in the narrative structure, character arcs, and thematic elements. According to officials familiar with the case, the FTII’s findings significantly bolster the plagiarism allegations against Shankar, whose contributions to Tamil cinema have been widely acclaimed.
“Based on substantial evidence and records in hand, it has been determined that S Shankar has violated Section 63 of the Copyright Act, 1957—a violation now classified as a scheduled offence under the PMLA, 2002,” the ED said in a statement. The attachment of properties under PMLA provisions indicates that the agency suspects the proceeds of the alleged copyright infringement may have been laundered or integrated into Shankar’s assets.
The properties attached include prime real estate assets, according to ED sources. The attachment is provisional, and Shankar will have an opportunity to contest the order before the adjudicating authority under the PMLA.
The sources said they are also studying transactions and asset acquisitions linked to Shankar’s earnings from ‘Enthiran’. Shankar and Tamilnadan were unavailable for comments.
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