Rajinikanth and Deepika Padukone starrer ‘Kochadaiiyaan’ has received a major legal boost before its scheduled AI-enabled re-release. The Madras High Court rejected an appeal against the release of the enhanced version of the movie, paving the way for its release. The move comes as filmmakers prepare to re-release the 2014 film in cinemas with visuals improved using artificial intelligence technology. This development has sparked a renewed buzz ahead of the unveiling of the ambitious project in a new format. High Court rejects plea seeking to halt AI version of ‘Kochadaiiyaan’The legal tussle began when Ad Bureau Advertising Pvt. Ltd., which was the financier of the original movie, filed an interim petition against the release of the enhanced version. As reported by The Hindu, the company claimed that its financial dispute with the original producers was unresolved and disagreed with the movie’s re-commercialization. Nevertheless, Justice K. Kumaresh Babu dismissed the company’s petition, stating that the applicant had not asked for any relief from Eros International Media, the movie’s current owner. Given the absence of a petition against the movie’s owner, the court concluded that there were no grounds to prevent the release of the AI-enhanced movie.
Financial dispute continues, but theatrical re-release gets green light
The case pertains to loans given during ‘Kochadaiiyaan’s’ making that led to cheque dishonour proceedings and a money recovery suit still pending before the courts. The financier contended that the financial claims should prevent the film’s re-release until the matter is settled, but the respondents said the claims relate to a different legal proceeding and should not impact the release. This view was accepted, clarifying that pending recovery proceedings cannot automatically bar the AI-restored version from reaching the audiences.
About ‘Kochadaiiyaan’
In 2014, India’s first full-length motion-capture feature film, ‘Kochadaiiyaan,’ was released, directed by Soundarya Rajinikanth. The movie starred Rajinikanth alongside Deepika Padukone, R. Sarathkumar, Aadhi Pinisetty, Shobana, Rukmini Vijayakumar, Nassar and Jackie Shroff. The story is by K. S. Ravikumar, and music is by A. R. Rahman. The film was lauded for its technical ambition, although it received mixed reactions to its animation quality at the time of release.The makers hope to present ‘Kochadaiiyaan’ to a new generation of audiences in a significantly improved cinematic experience, using artificial intelligence (AI) technology to enhance its visuals.
