A Chennai civil court has restrained the producer of Tamil film Vana Yuddham, including the Kannada version Attagasam, from exhibiting the movie. It is based on the life of forest brigand Veerappan.

The XVII Assistant Judge of the City Civil Court granted the interim injunction till April 17 on an application by Gopal, editor of Tamil bi-weekly Nakkeeran. 

Gopal submitted that he had come across a news item that the films on the life of Veerappan, who was shot dead by the Tamil Nadu Special Task Force in October 2004, had been made by film-maker and producer AMR Ramesh of Bangalore and two other producers. 

Stating that the films were scheduled for release in the first week of May, Gopal claimed that he had made five trips to the forest, where the sandalwood smuggler was in hiding, and due to his efforts the life of Kannada thespian late Rajkumar, who was kidnapped, was saved. Gopal said without his role, no film about the brigand's kidnappings, surrender talks and his way of life in the forest could be made.

The Judge said the petitioner had made out a prima facie case for grant of the injunction and stayed the film till April 16.