Why Has Nivin Pauly Been Accused Of Cheating A Co-Producer In The Action Hero Biju Sequel Deal?
Nivin Pauly has been accused of defrauding a producer of ₹1.90 crore over Action Hero Biju’s sequel. Here's what the FIR and allegations claim—read on.
Nivin Pauly Named In Cheating Case Over Film Rights ( Photo Credit – Instagram )
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Nivin Pauly, once considered a rising star in Mollywood, has now hit a rough patch in his career. None of his recent films, in which he played the protagonist, have been financially successful. In this context, he has also become a concern for producers, not only due to the failure of his films but also because of other issues. These include the rumored fallout with Listin Stephen of Magic Frames.
Now, a Thalayolaparambu native named P.S. Shamnas, who is a producer, has accused Nivin Pauly and director Abrid Shine of defrauding him of 1.90 crores. According to The Week, a First Information Report (FIR) has already been filed, naming Nivin Pauly as the primary accused and Abrid Shine as the secondary accused.
What Is the Relationship Between the Parties Involved?
The three of them worked together on a period fantasy film called Mahaveeryar, which was released back in 2022. It was written and directed by Abrid Shine, starred Nivin Pauly, and was produced as a collaborative effort between all three parties, meaning Nivin Pauly, P.S. Shamnas, and Abrid Shine were all credited as producers. Mahaveeryar turned out to be a flop at the box office, and as a result of that financial disaster, Shamnas claims that Nivin Pauly agreed to pay him 95 lakh. However, Pauly has allegedly failed to make the payment so far.
Another claim by P.S. Shamnas is that there was an agreement to make him a co-producer of the sequel to the highly successful film Action Hero Biju, which was also directed by Shine and starred Pauly. Believing in this agreement, Shamnas says he spent 1.90 crores of his own money towards the production of the film in April 2024. Subsequently, the title of the film was transferred from Abrid Shine Productions to Shamnas’ company, Indian Movie Makers. This was done through a letter submitted to the Kerala Film Chamber of Commerce.
What Exactly Is the Current Issue?
So far, so good, but issues began when, according to the allegation, Nivin Pauly and Abrid Shine sold the overseas rights of the film to a UAE-based company called Home Screen Motion Pictures LLC.
They allegedly did this fraudulently by convincing the UAE-based company that the rights belonged to Pauly Jr. Pictures. The overseas rights were reportedly sold for 5 crores, and 2 crores was received as advance payment. According to Shamnas, this resulted in a loss of 1.90 crores for him. As a result, Shamnas filed a case against them in court. The court ordered the local police to investigate, leading to the registration of the FIR.
Nivin Pauly’s Response to Allegations
( Photo Credit – Instagram )
Basically, what this Instagram story says is that he cannot talk about the matter because it has been under court-directed arbitration since 28th June, 2025. He is implying that the new case has been filed just to bring the issue into the limelight. He also states that he will take necessary legal action.
