Unless Geetha Arts which has produced Allu Arjun's Badrinath makes a compromise with Kannada film producer and distributor Ramu, the chances of the prestigious film getting released simultaneously in Karnataka appears to be remote. This is because Ramu who had already purchased the distribution rights of the film Badrinath from co-producer Madhu has been cheated and the producers are releasing the film on their own.
Problems have been compounding for Geetha Arts producer Allu Arvind as the Bar Council elections are now in progress on Thursday and there have been paucity of good number of advocates to file petitions to get a vacation from stay. Now, according to sources in Gandhinagar, the producers are willing to deposit the amount in court to vacate the stay. Ramu had given an advance of Rs. 50 lacs many months ago as an advance for the film.
Besides this he had to get a substantial amount of money from Madhu, a co-producer of Badrinath. Madhu was the co-producer of Kannada film Independence Day which was distributed by Ramu who had paid a refundable advance to Ramu. Ramu had not been paid the deficit amount of his expenditure involved in releasing the film Independence Day starring Sai Kumar and Arun Pandian. With the documents under his possession, Ramu has been able to get a stay in court for the release of Badrinath in Karnataka. He says that producers are due to him Rs. 1.5 crores.
The producers were too greedy and wanted to two time Ramu who had given an advance amount of Rs. 50 lacs to secure the distribution rights of the film in Karnataka. Though they had earlier signed for Rs. 1 crore, they revised it to Rs. 1.5 crores. Some distributor even went to the extent of increasing the distribution rights to Rs. 3 crores. Smelling a big market for the film, the producers decided to release the film on their own two timing Mr. Ramu, the sources said. Ramu had no alternative but to get a stay on the release the film, sources said. That is precisely the reason as to why Allu Arvind chose to visit Bengaluru for a pre release publicity function of the film.
Normally the Telugu fim stars do not participate in any pre release publicity meets of their films in Bengaluru or even the distributors have organised any pre release press meets for any big budget Telugu films.
The producers were not willing to pay distribution rights to one trusted distributor Vijayakumar who was purchasing all the films from Allu Arvind including Magadheera by paying huge money as desired by the distributors. Both Ramu and Vijaya Kumar enjoy a high degree of respect in the distribution circles. Ramu has released many mega non Kannada hits like Vanaththai Pole in Tamil.