Cinema VinesThe Bombay High Court on Monday, 19 October, ordered Echelon Productions to deposit ₹8.85 crore, plus 15% annual interest, before the film Tu Hai Meri Kiran can be released or exploited commercially. The ruling follows a petition by co‑producer AND Movie Products LLP, which claims it invested ₹8.85 crore between March 2024 and January 2025 but has not received repayment. The film, starring Sonakshi Sinha and Zaheer Iqbal, is slated for a theatrical release on 23 October 2026.
Justice Amit Borkar granted the petition, noting that a full halt of the film would ignore the money and effort already invested. However, the court made it clear that the movie cannot be exploited commercially without securing the co‑producer’s investment. The co‑production agreement signed on 27 March 2024 stipulated that both parties would contribute ₹7.50 crore each, plus GST, towards a ₹15 crore budget. The agreement also required Echelon to repay the investment within 13 months of signing or three weeks before the first release, whichever came first. The court found that the repayment deadline had expired on 27 April 2025, and a later announcement of the release date could not extend this period.
The dispute escalated when a cheque for ₹7.50 crore issued by Echelon through Vishal Rana was dishonoured in January 2026. After the film’s October release date was announced, AND Movie Products approached the High Court. Echelon argued that repayment depended on the film’s earnings and cited the co‑producer’s Instagram promotions as evidence of shared promotion. The court rejected this argument, stating that promotional activities did not waive the repayment obligation or eliminate the requirement for the co‑producer’s consent before any third‑party exploitation agreements.
Under the court’s directive, Echelon must deposit the ₹8.85 crore, with interest calculated from each investment date, within three working days. If the company fails to comply, the film cannot be commercially exploited. The court also required Echelon to disclose all existing and proposed exploitation agreements, maintain film revenues in a separate designated account, and provide regular accounts. Additionally, the company must obtain AND Movie Products’ contractual consent before entering into any exploitation agreements and correct or withdraw any publicity credits that do not align with the agreed producer credits.
The deposited amount will be held as security and cannot be withdrawn without court or arbitral tribunal approval. The court declined to direct Vishal Rana to personally deposit the money at this stage, noting that the matter remains a corporate issue.
