Latest news with #N.AnandVenkatesh
The Hindu
2 days ago
- Business
- The Hindu
PVR INOX multiplex at Chennai airport's Aerohub faces closure due to legal dispute
The five-screen PVR INOX multiplex operating at the Aerohub, a commercial space attached to the multi-level car park (MLCP) in Chennai airport, is facing a threat of closure since the Airports Authority of India (AAI) had taken a stand that operation of a cinema hall is not a permissible activity under the AAI Act of 1994. Justice N. Anand Venkatesh of the Madras High Court has, however, directed the AAI to maintain status quo until the authority considers and disposes of, in accordance with law, a representation made to it by PVR Inox on May 29, 2025 seeking permission to continue its operations at the Aerohub. The direction was issued after Additional Solicitor General AR.L. Sundaresan, assisted by AAI standing counsel Ramaswamy Meyyappan, told the court that AAI would certainly a take decision in line with Articles 41 and 42 of the MLCP development agreement and convey it to the multiplex chain. The orders were passed while disposing of a writ petition filed by PVR INOX to restrain AAI from interfering with the operation of the multiplex. Senior counsel P.S. Raman, representing the petitioner, told the court that AAI had invited tenders in 2017 for development of the MLCP with integrated commercial infrastructure at the Chennai airport. The dispute Olympia Techpark (Chennai) Private Limited turned out to be successful bidder and it floated a special purpose vehicle titled Meenambakkam Realty Private Limited which, in turn, entered into a development agreement with AAI in 2018 to develop, build, operate and maintain the facility for a period of 15 years. Thereafter, AAI obtained environment clearance from the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests in December 2018 and the application for environment clearance specifically included the area earmarked for the multiplex. Therefore, AAI was fully cognizant of the construction of cinema halls even as early as in 2018, Mr. Raman said. He added that AAI had also sanctioned the construction plans in 2019 and 2021 which had explicit mention about the cinema halls in the Aerohub and that in 2021, the authority had sought a No Objection Certificate (NOC) too from the Greater Chennai City Commissioner of Police for the cinema halls. It was only on the basis of all these documents, PVR INOX had entered into a sub-licencing agreement with Meenambakkam Realty in November 2022 for operating the multiplex and commenced screening movies from February 1, 2023. The sub-licencing tenure was for a period of 13.5 years. However, on July 21, 2023, the AAI wrote a letter to Meenambakkam Realty stating it had been decided to close down the multiplex since running of cinema halls was not permissible under the AAI Act. The letter had been signed by Joint General Manager (Commercial) M. Selvanayagam on behalf of the Airport Director. Immediately, Meenambakkam Realty approached the Delhi High Court and obtained an interim order. Thereafter, an arbitral tribunal was constituted to resolve the dispute and the tribunal, in February 2024, stayed the operation of the July 2023 letter thereby providing interim protection to the developer. Premature termination Thereafter, the interim order was vacated and Meenambakkam Realty conveyed a startling information to PVR INOX on May 15, 2025 that its 2018 development agreement with AAI had been terminated prematurely and that AAI had decided to maintain the entire 2,47,202 square feet complex constructed on 4.5 acres of land on its own. However, since Articles 42 and 43 of the development agreement empowers AAI to permit sub-licencees to continue on mutually negotiable terms and conditions, PVR INOX had given a representation to the authority on May 29 to permit the operation of the multiplex dehors the termination of the agreement with Meenambakkam Realty.
The Hindu
4 days ago
- Politics
- The Hindu
Judge pens poem for unity between Tenkalai and Vadakalai sects of Vaishnavites
Impressing upon the need for the Tenkalai and Vadakalai sects of Vaishnavites to end the differences between them since the 15th century, Justice N. Anand Venkatesh of the Madras High Court has penned a poem calling upon them to walk together in peace. The judge said, the sects should abide by the rule of law and celebrate temple festivals peacefully, which was the objective of any religion, instead of attempting to project their respective Acharyas — Manavala Mamuni and Vedanta Desikar — even above Lord Venkateswara. The observations were made while dismissing a writ petition filed jointly by T.A.P. Srirangachari and K.B. Srinivasan of the Tenkalai sect against an order passed by the Executive Officer of Vilakoli Perumal Sri Vedantha Desikar Temple in Kancheepuram on May 28, 2024. The petitioners complained that the Executive Officer had prevented the Tenkalai sect from reciting Tengalaimantram and Tengalaivazhithirunamam (hymns in praise of their Acharya - Manavala Mamuni) even during the processions taken outside the temple. They said, the legal dispute regarding recitation of the hymns had begun as early as in 1811 leading to a decree passed in favour of the Tenkalai sect by the Conjeevaram (Kancheepuram) district munsif court on May 15, 1915. The decree was confirmed by the Madras High Court on July 18, 1918, they claimed. However, the EO, on the other hand, told the court that the Tenkalai sect had given up their right to recite the hymns inside the temple for several decades and that it was only the Vadakalai who had been reciting the Divyaprabandam as well as other hymns for over five decades. He also said that a writ petition filed by the Tenkalai sect in 2006 for recitation of the hymns inside the temple was dismissed by a single judge in 2014 and the order was confirmed by a Division Bench of the High Court in 2024. The Supreme Court too had upheld the order. After recording the submissions, Justice Venkatesh said, the writ petitioners could not seek to enforce a civil court decree by way of a writ petition. He observed that the petitioners could only file an execution petition before the competent civil court for implementing of the decree. Not finding any reason to interfere with the Executive Officer's 2024 order, the judge said, the officer should not be dragged to the police station on charges of failing to enforce the civil court decree. Highlighting that police could not interfere in civil disputes, the judge said, they could interfere only if there was breach of peace. The judge also said that the Tenkalai sect could think through the whole issue and join the Vadakalai sect in reciting the Divyaprabandam alone during the processions outside the temple. However, if they insist on reciting hymns in praise of their Acharya too, then the remedy would only be an execution petition. The judge concluded his verdict with the poem: 'Vadakalai and Thenkalai, two petals on one stem, both seek Lord Venkateswara Perumal, both belong to Him. In the name of Acharyas, the quarrels still ignite, yet, those wise souls now bask in the Lord's pure light. Their journeys ended at His lotus feet so grand, while we, their children, still draw lines in the sand. Let us honour their path, let old divisions cease - and walk together united in faith and peace.'
The Hindu
09-06-2025
- The Hindu
Act against cinema theatres fleecing moviegoers, Madras High Court orders T.N. government
The Madras High Court, on Monday (June 9, 2025), directed the Tamil Nadu government to initiate appropriate action against cinema theatres which charge over and above the rates fixed by the State government. Justice N. Anand Venkatesh issued the direction while disposing of a writ petition filed by G. Devarajan of Chennai in 2017 accusing cinema theatres of fleecing the audience during the first four days of the release of new movies. With specific reference to the excess charges allegedly collected by certain theatres during the release of Ajith Kumar-starrer Vivegam that year, the petitioner had also sought a direction to refund the excess charges to the cinema goers. When the case was listed for final hearing now, an Additional Government Pleader brought it to the notice of the court that the government had already constituted committees to keep a check over the sale of tickets at cinema theatres. After recording his submission, the judge wrote: 'When the government has fixed rates, the theatre owners cannot fleece the moviegoers by collecting excess amount. Whenever such practices are reported, the committees must immediately act upon them,' During the course of hearing of the case, the judge also cautioned that the cinema theatres may not survive for long in view of the increased patronage being received by the Over the Top (OTT) media service platform. 'These days, most people, including the judge sitting before you, prefer to watch movies on OTT using home theatres. Now, we have the convenience of getting even popcorn delivered at home. Therefore, theatre owners must give a thought to it,' he said.
The Hindu
04-06-2025
- Entertainment
- The Hindu
How can CBFC deny censor certificate to Manushi without specifying objectionable scenes, asks Madras High Court
The Madras High Court on Wednesday (June 4, 2025) wondered how the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) could deny certification to the Vetri Maaran-produced film Manushi without specifying the objectionable scenes, visuals, dialogues, music, or other content that would need to be edited before public screening. Justice N. Anand Venkatesh said, unless the objectionable portions of the movie were spelt out by the CBFC, the producer would be groping in the dark without knowing which parts of the film required editing and end up suffering huge monetary loss, as the entire movie had already been shot. The judge directed Central government senior panel counsel A. Kumaraguru to take instructions from the CBFC by June 16 with respect to the portions that required editing. In the alternative, the officials could watch the movie along with the producer and point out the objectionable portions to him, the judge said. 'Making a movie is a part of the right to speech and expression. As such, the filmmakers are already suffering from a lot of difficulties. You cannot deny certification for an entire movie without specifying the objectionable portions and expect a filmmaker to shoot the entire movie afresh,' the judge told the counsel. When he was told that the examining committee as well as the screening committee (an appellate body) of the CBFC had recommended against certifying the movie, the judge perused the orders passed by the board and found that it had given five reasons for denying certification to Manushi. The reasons cited by the CBFC in the rejection order were that the movie went against the integrity of the State; it had scenes that were contemptuous; it defames government policies; it portrays stereotypes leading to north/south divide; and that it had many scenes that were against the interests of the country. 'These conclusions are not subjective but based on objective facts, which are discernable from various scenes in the movie. Therefore, if at all the petitioner is required to edit those portions, he must be informed about the specific portions that required such editing,' the judge said, and sought the CBFC's response by June 11, 2025. Manushi is produced by Vetri Maaran's Grassroot Film Company and directed by Aramm fame Gopi Nainar. The film stars Andrea Jeremiah in the lead role, with key supporting roles played by actors Nasser, Tamizh, Hakkim Shah, and Balaji Sakthivel. Acclaimed musician Ilaiyaraaja had composed the music for the film, and its trailer released by actor Vijay Sethupathi in April 2024 had received critical acclaim as it showed moving scenes pertaining to the custodial torture of a woman suspected to be a terrorist.
