Rajinikanth’s property worth Rs 20 crore to be auctioned

Mumbai, Dec 27: Rajinikanth’s wife Latha is in financial trouble. Exim Bank has put the superstar’s property on auction to recover the money. The production house Mediaone Global Entertainment Limited took Rs 20 crore loan from bank but failed to return the loan. Including interest, the loan amount reached to Rs. 22.21 Crore. Now to recover the money, Exim bank has put Rajinikanth’s wife's 1.5 acre property in Padapai, Kancheepuram district, nearly 80 km from Chennai on auction.

The bank published auction advertisement in print media. Rajini’s wife Latha stood as a guarantor for a loan to Mediaone Global Entertainment Ltd.

"This amount is due as on July 17, 2014 together with further interest and liquidated damages as per contractual rates and other expenses/costs thereon with effect from July 18, 2014 till payment within 60 days from the date of receipt of the said notice. The borrower in particular and the public in general are hereby cautioned not to deal with the property/asset and any dealings with the property/asset will be subject to charges of Exim Bank for the amount outstanding as per its security documents, with further interest, costs, expenses and charges thereon with payment," the notice said.

Film industry sources said the superstar’s financial crisis begins after ‘Lingaa’ doomed at the box office. "Linga is a commercial failure. Already distributors have upped their ante and some of them have started demanding compensation from Rajinikanth. A few among them have indeed planned to picket the superstar's residence demanding compensation. After Rajinikanth compensated several distributors in a situation like this 10 years ago when his film Baba flopped, the distributors tasted blood. Now they want the superstar to repeat the same. But I don't think Rajinikanth will yield this time," says a producer on condition of anonymity.

Another source said that the mistake lay on both sides, Latha Rajinikanth and Exim Bank. "Latha Rajinikanth should had known her obligations and so was the bank and I think both failed in their fiduciary responsibilities," says Shyam Sekar, an independent financial analyst.

Two consecutive flops, ‘Kochadaiyaan’ and ‘Lingaa’ land the superstar in financial problem. Rajinikanth's serious ailments in 2011 further worsen his condition, "In 2011, he fell seriously ill and was taken to Singapore Mount Elizabeth Hospital for treatment. He was there for a few months. Though he acted in two films after that, he has not fully recovered yet," says an industry source.