Director Prasanth Varma, fresh off the success of “Hanu-Man”, finds himself caught in a significant industry controversy over advance payments he reportedly took from multiple producers for upcoming projects. The situation centres on claims that several production houses handed over sizeable advances for films which haven’t yet taken off or progressed meaningfully.
Sources say that producers backed Varma during Hanu-Man’s production and then provided him further advance amounts for next commitments. However, one major accusation is that he signed a sequel under one banner but later shifted the project to another without duly returning the advances. Moreover, some producers claim they have no clarity on when their films will begin and are pressing for either his active involvement or a refund of the advance.
In response, some production houses have issued clarifications denying any formal agreement or transaction with him in certain cases. This leaves the film-industry community debating whether this is a case of over-commitment by a director rising quickly, or a breakdown in communication and contract discipline.
For Varma, the stakes are high: his reputation as a “blockbuster maker” is now being tested by behind-the-scenes financial implications. For the producers involved, it’s a reminder of the risks in locking in rising talent with large pre-payments without solid project timelines.
It remains to be seen how Prasanth Varma resolves these claims—whether through clarification, settlement, or by delivering the promised films. Until then, this controversy adds a cautionary footnote to the director’s career trajectory.
