After Jail Sentence, Ram Gopal Varma Moves to Settle 2018 Cheque Case Outside Court

Ram Gopal Varma Moves Toward Out-of-Court Settlement in 2018 Cheque Bounce Case.

Filmmaker Ram Gopal Varma—known for cult classics like Satya, Company, and Sarkar—is back in the spotlight, this time over a legal dispute dating back to 2018. The director, often in the news for his provocative takes and gritty storytelling, is now seeking to resolve a cheque bounce case through an out-of-court settlement.

In January, a magistrate’s court in Andheri held Varma guilty under the Negotiable Instruments Act. He was sentenced to three months’ imprisonment and directed to pay Rs 3.72 lakh to the complainant within three months.

The complaint was filed by Mahesh Chandra Mishra, a partner at Shree, a firm that reportedly supplied hard disks to Varma’s company. Varma denied issuing the cheque that allegedly bounced and challenged the ruling in sessions court this February.

However, the legal trajectory appears to be shifting. On Monday, both Varma and the complainant submitted a joint statement indicating their willingness to settle the matter through the Lok Adalat (people’s court). The court has since adjourned the hearing until November, granting two opportunities for both parties to arrive at a mutual agreement.

Meanwhile, on the Creative Front
On the work front, Varma’s latest psychological thriller Saree—originally released in Telugu and later dubbed into multiple languages—is now streaming on OTT platform Aha. The film had a theatrical release in April 2025 and was written by Varma, directed by Giri Krishna Komal, and produced by Ravi Shankar Varma.

Saaree explores how fleeting attraction can morph into obsession. The story begins with a man on a vacation with friends who becomes fixated on a mysterious woman in a striking saree. What begins as curiosity quickly devolves into a dangerous spiral of obsession.