‘Love Birds’ entangled in cheating, forgery case

NT Correspondent

Bengaluru: A first information report (FIR) has been filed by the Sadsahivanagar police against film producer M Chandru (Kaddipudi Chandru) for allegedly forging the signature of a film director on a document he submitted to the Information Department. The director of the recent Kannada film ‘Love Birds’, PC Shekar, had filed the complaint against the producer. The film starring Darling Krishna and Milana Nagaraj released in February this year.

The complaint filed by the director PC Shekar at the Sadashivanagar Police Station seeks action against Chandru for offences under Sections 420 (cheating), 467 (forgery of a valuable security), 468 (forgery for purpose of cheating), 471 (using forged document as genuine), 504 (intentional insult) and 506 (criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code. The police have submitted the FIR to the XXXIX Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Court the same day on May 16.

According to the FIR, Chandru had engaged Shekar to write the story, screenplay and direct the film ‘Love Birds’ for a remuneration of Rs 20,00,000. They entered into an agreement but the copy of the agreement was always in the possession of Chandru. During the course of the film, Chandru asked Shekar to edit the film for a further remuneration of Rs 5,00,000. However, he was made a total payment of only Rs 6,50,000 and the balance of Rs 18,50,000.

Shekar has alleged that Chandru had threatened him that he would not be allowed to work in Kannada films if he demanded the balance payment. Later, the movie was released without the participation of Shekar. The director applied for documents of the film submitted to the Information Department. He realised that his signatures had been forged in the document regarding the ownership of the story.

“I was shocked to see that M Chandru alias Kaddipudi Chandru has forged my signature on affidavit/ declaration document of story and screenplay without my knowledge and he has submitted to Department of Information and Public Relations,” the FIR records his complaint.

Meanwhile, Shekar has also filed a suit against Chandru and others before the XII Additional City Civil and Sessions Judge seeking the balance remuneration. In this case filed on February 28, 2023, the other respondents include Chandan Films, Amazon Prime Video, Star Suvarna, Saregama Music, Unifi Meida and Sri Chamundeshwari Studio.