It’s been a tumultuous year for the South Indian film industry, with several high-profile legal battles making headlines in 2026. Issues ranging from bitter censorship disputes and copyright violations to personality rights lawsuits and messy divorces dominate the entertainment space. Notably, Thalapathy Vijay’s last political thriller ‘Jana Nayagan’ faced severe release delays, while ‘Drishyam 3’ fought a tight copyright battle over Telugu remake rights. We break down the five most significant court dramas that changed the landscape of Tamil, Telugu, and Malayalam cinema in the first half of this year.
‘Jana Nayagan’ censor battle delayed Vijay’s last film
Marking the worst legal setback of the year, Thalapathy Vijay’s last film before his entry into politics, ‘Jana Nayagan,’ ran into severe censorship hurdles. The release of the film was indefinitely delayed after the producers failed to obtain official clearance, forcing them to seek legal recourse. Adding to the uncertainty surrounding the highly anticipated movie, pirated footage of the unreleased film has reportedly leaked online.
Ravi Mohan and Aarti Ravi’s divorce case has reached the High Court
The ongoing divorce process between actor Ravi Mohan and Aarti Ravi has remained a major talking point throughout the year. The legal dispute escalated after Aarti filed for interim maintenance, saying that the actor failed to fund their children’s education from April 2025. Rejecting a request for an extension, the Madras High Court ordered Ravi Mohan to contest the maintenance dispute in the Family Welfare Court.
‘Drishyam 3’ has landed in copyright trouble over Telugu rights
Despite the ongoing legal dispute over the Telugu remake rights, ‘Drishyam 3’ has successfully hit the theaters. Rajkumar Theaters Pvt. Ltd. moved the Madras High Court to protect its adaptation rights, seeking an injunction against the unauthorized Telugu versions. While the court has served notices to the parties involved stating that any future Telugu remake deal will depend on the final verdict, the controversy has failed to slow down the cinema run. The original Malayalam version, starring Mohanlal, went on to achieve massive success at the box office.
Allu Arjun, Jr NTR, Naga Chaitanya, and others are fighting for personality rights
In 2026, the unauthorized exploitation of artificial intelligence and digital technology has become a pressing issue for the entertainment industry. Prominent actors, including Allu Arjun, Jr NTR, and Naga Chaitanya, moved the Delhi High Court to protect their personality rights. Through these legal actions, the stars seek to prevent unapproved commercial use of their names, voices, likenesses, and AI-generated digital clones.
AMMA Controversy causing resignations and new debates
The Association of Malayalam Movie Artists (AMMA) is facing its worst crisis so far following the mass resignation of its president and all 17 executive committee members over financial transparency disputes. The explosion caused heated arguments during the annual meeting of the organization’s general body, highlighting serious issues of accountability and forcing structural changes within the body.