Kaatera director Tharun Sudhir explains the chain of events in the title controversy of the Darshan starrer

I came up with the title ‘Kaatera’,” declared Challenging Star Darshan recently at the 50-day celebration of the film’s theatrical run, in a direct taunt at filmmaker Umapathy Srinivas Gowda, although the actor did not name the latter. The writing was clear on the wall. Darshan wanted to set the record straight in a matter of claims over the title and more of Kaatera, a film that was first conceptualized when Umapathy was still on board as producer.

But did Darshan really clarify and put an end to this discussion or just sparked an unending barrage of counter claims? Director Tharun Sudhir, who is also at the centre of this ‘controversy’, has been speaking to various media houses with his version of events, most of which tally with what Umapathy has been saying. Yes, Darshan did suggest the title Kaatera, but it is Umapathy who registered the same under his banner. And yes, Umapathy did pay the resort bills for when Tharun, Jadesha K Hampi and Maasthi Upparahalli spent a few days to put the screenplay and dialogues of Kaatera together.

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Kaatera eventually ended up being produced by Rockline Venkatesh, as Darshan and Umapathy had a falling out in a case of attempt-to-cheat, wherein certain miscreants had tried to mortgage Darshan’s properties with forged documents. It was alleged at the time that Umapathy was known to the people involved, although it was never proven that he had something to do with it.

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Meanwhile, in response to Darshan’s statements, Umapathy has been debunking all the claims of their collaboration Roberrt having made more than Rs 100 crore at the box office, and how such unfounded information had led to his accounts being frozen by the Income Tax department. Netizens, especially Darshan naysayers, are having a field day with all the information pouring in between these two warring factions.

However, it is also being said that Darshan should not have referred to Umapathy as ‘tagade’ on a public platform, given that Dr Rajkumar always referred to producers as ‘annadatharu’. Darshan has, after all, taken his remuneration for Roberrt and the advance paid towards Kaatera, from Umapathy.