Sridevi’s Chennai Property Dispute Reaches Supreme Court, Kapoor Family’s Claim Challenged

The legal dispute over late actor Sridevi’s Chennai property has reached the Supreme Court. The court is hearing a plea filed by MC Sivakami and her brother. They have claimed a share in 2.7 acres of land on Chennai’s East Coast Road. The property was sold to Sridevi’s family on April 19, 1988. Sivakami challenged a Madras High Court order that dismissed her suit against Boney Kapoor, Janhvi Kapoor and Khushi Kapoor. A bench comprising Justice KV Viswanathan and Justice Arun Palli issued notice to the concerned parties. The bench also directed everyone to maintain the status quo on the disputed property. The case will now proceed before the Supreme Court as the parties present their arguments.

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Petitioner Challenges Madras High Court Order

Sivakami’s lawyers argued that the trial court had initially found a valid cause of action. They also said the court considered the suit to be within the limitation period. According to Senior Advocate Raju Ramachandran and Advocate Balaji Srinivasan, the trial court only needed to examine the plaint at that stage. They argued that the Madras High Court went much deeper into the evidence. The lawyers alleged that the High Court effectively conducted a “mini-trial” before the actual trial began. They said the High Court examined questions about Sivakami’s status as a legal heir. It also considered the validity of the marriage involving the concerned first wife. The petitioner further told the Supreme Court that an application for mutation of the property records was filed in 2023.

The Kapoor family’s counsel challenged the maintainability of the property dispute. Senior Advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi represented the family before the Supreme Court. He pointed out that the sale deed for the property was executed on April 19, 1988. He said the family later applied for mutation after Sridevi’s death in 2023. The present suit was then filed in 2025. According to the family’s argument, the petitioners became adults in 1995 and 1999. Singhvi therefore argued that the 2025 suit came after the applicable limitation period. The limitation issue has become an important part of the dispute. The Supreme Court is now examining the rival arguments before deciding how the case should proceed.

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Supreme Court Examines Property Share

During the hearing, the Supreme Court questioned the parties about ownership of the disputed property. The bench asked whether MC Chandrasekaran, who sold the land, held a one-fifth share. The judges also asked whether anyone disputed that the petitioners were Chandrasekaran’s children. Singhvi told the bench that the one-fifth share would go to the first wife. He further submitted that other claimants could seek only their respective legal shares. The arguments have brought questions of ownership and inheritance into focus. The court will consider these issues while hearing the challenge to the High Court order. Meanwhile, the status quo direction prevents the parties from changing the position of the disputed property until further proceedings.

The Supreme Court has also encouraged the parties to explore an amicable settlement. The bench said it would appoint a retired High Court judge as a mediator. The parties will appear before the mediator and discuss the possibility of resolving the dispute. The court has listed the matter for December 18 to consider the mediation’s progress. The dispute centres on the 2.7-acre property sold to Sridevi’s family in 1988. Sivakami filed the suit against Boney Kapoor, Janhvi Kapoor, Khushi Kapoor and other concerned parties. The trial court had initially allowed the case to proceed. However, the Madras High Court later dismissed the suit. The petitioner has now challenged that decision before the Supreme Court. The next hearing will provide further clarity on the legal proceedings.

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