Soubin Shahir arrested: Actor and producer Soubin Shahir has landed in legal trouble after getting arrested in a financial fraud case related to the hit Malayalam film Manjummel Boys. Along with him, his father Babu Shahir and his associate Shawn Antony were also involved. The police had earlier summoned the other two for questioning. After that, all three were arrested. However, they were granted anticipatory bail by the High Court and were released soon after.
Soubin’s production company Parava Films has been under serious investigation after a complaint was filed accusing the team of cheating an investor of ₹7 crore. The police believe that Soubin may have planned the fraud even before the film went on floors. They also said that the money trail must be checked properly and a full investigation is necessary to understand how the funds were used.
Heads Of State OTT Release: All you need to know
The complaint was first made by a man named Siraj Valiyaveettil, who claimed that he invested ₹7 crore in the movie after being told that the film’s total budget would be ₹22 crore. But later, he found out that the actual cost of making the film was only ₹18.65 crore. He also said he was promised a 40% share in profits, but never received it, reported Indian Express.
The film Manjummel Boys became a massive box office success after it released. It collected ₹140 crore in India alone and earned around ₹240 crore worldwide, according to reports from Sacnilk. It was praised by audiences and became Malayalam cinema’s biggest hit until L2: Empuraan came out.
The movie, directed and written by Chidambaram, was based on a true event that took place in 2006. It showed how a group of friends risked everything to save one of their own who got trapped inside the Guna Caves. Viewers loved the message of friendship, courage, and hope.
Ranbir Kapoor’s Ramayana Creates History with ₹1,000 Crore Pre-Release Earnings: Check deets
But the movie’s success is now being overshadowed by the ongoing case. In 2024, even before the arrests, Soubin’s office was raided by the Income Tax Department because of reports that he hadn’t filed tax returns and had hidden some financial documents. With the arrests and allegations of embezzlement, the case has drawn even more public attention.
