Hyderabad: The AP branch of the Nithyananda Dhyanapeetam has accused a Kannada film director of attempting to make a Telugu film Swami Sathyananda, allegedly defaming Swami Nithyananda.
Madan Patel directed and produced Sathyananda, a film in Kannada, based on the life of Swami Nithyananda, which according to Nithyananda Dhyanapeetam, was derogatory. The director, along with the lead actor Ravi Chetan, were sued by Swami Nithyananda for a sum of Rs 3.5 crore.
Addressing mediapersons on Saturday, the AP chapter of the Dhyanapeetam said it came to their notice the director was attempting to release the same film in Telugu with slight variations, calling the film Swami Sathyananda.
Swami Nithyananda, a spiritual leader and managing trustee of Nithyananda Dhyanapeetam was in controversy a year ago, after a Tamil channel telecast videos which showed him in a compromising situation with a woman. The spiritual leader, however, had dismissed it saying the video was a fake one.
The City Civil Court, Bangalore had issued an order in September blocking the release and promotion of the Kannada film. The court had ruled that though a chargesheet was filed against Swami Nithyananda, the director had no right to defame him. This order also prohibited variation of the film in any form, the Dhyanapeetam said.
Krishnakumar Bhagawathi, advocate of AP High Court said the director had not even attempted for an appeal in the court but was trying to dub the blocked film in Telugu.
(For updates you can share with your friends, follow IBNLive on Facebook, Twitter, Google+ and Pinterest)
More on IBNLive Right Now
MOST SHARED
PHOTOGALLERY
