The makers of Kalki 2898 AD are embroiled in a payment dispute with their US-Europe distributors months after the film’s release. Starring Prabhas, Deepika Padukone, Amitabh Bachchan, and Kamal Haasan, the film was a global hit but now faces a legal showdown.
The issue came to light when an email from Vyjayanthi Movies, the production house behind Kalki 2898 AD, was leaked on X (formerly Twitter).
The email, which appears to have been sent to the US and European distributors, alleges that the film grossed around $1.3 million in these regions. However, the producers claim they only received a Rs 5 crore advance, and the rest of the revenue has been withheld by the distributors, citing supposed losses in Europe.
Have US-Europe Distributors Cheated Kalki 2898 AD Producers?
A source close to the production house confirmed the authenticity of the email to Hindustan Times. The source explained the situation and said, “The US and Europe distributors are the same, they have cheated the producers. The film made $1.3 million in the region, according to trackers. They have given the producers Rs 5 crore advance and are now claiming it has not made even that, and made only Rs 3 crore.”
The source further revealed that the producers are now considering legal action as a result of the distributors’ failure to respond. “The distributors haven’t even responded to the mail and have leaked it instead. The producers will wait for a response before proceeding with legal action,” they added.
Kalki Makers To Take Legal Action
The email further details that the distributors were given the film for a refundable advance of Rs 5 crore, with an additional Rs 2 crore to be paid from the US and Canada.
However, the distributors are now claiming that they haven’t received the full Rs 3 crore from these regions. Vyjayanthi Movies has given the distributors an ultimatum to settle the outstanding payments within 48 hours, or they will take legal action.
The dispute doesn’t stop there. The producers have also accused the distributors of malpractice in their billing, specifically regarding the film’s censoring and publicity costs in the regions. Despite the tension, neither Vyjayanthi Movies nor the distributors have issued any formal statements on the ongoing issue.
About Kalki 2898 AD
Directed by Nag Ashwin, Kalki 2898 AD is set in a futuristic world, where the story follows a bounty hunter named Bhairava and the legendary Ashwatthama. When a pregnant test subject named SU-M80 escapes from a secret lab, Bhairava is tasked with capturing her for a bounty.
However, Ashwatthama fights to protect her, believing that her unborn child is the reincarnation of Kalki, the prophesied saviour.
