A long-standing feud between Kalanithi Maran, chairman of Sun TV Network, and his younger brother Dayanidhi Maran, former Union Minister and DMK MP, may be close to resolution. Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin is said to have played a key role in mediating peace between the two brothers, who belong to one of the state’s most politically influential families.
According to sources, the meeting took place in the presence of MK Stalin, his son and Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin, and the Marans’ sister Anbukarasi. Stalin, the son of late DMK patriarch M Karunanidhi, is closely related to the Marans through their father Murasoli Maran, who was Karunanidhi’s nephew.
Legal Battle Over Sun TV Shareholding
The reported reconciliation comes weeks after Dayanidhi Maran sent a strongly worded legal notice to his brother Kalanithi on June 10, 2025, accusing him of fraudulent practices related to the ownership of Sun TV. The notice alleged that Kalanithi Maran and his wife Kaveri Maran, along with others, illegally altered the company’s shareholding in 2003, shortly after the death of their father Murasoli Maran.
The notice claimed that Kalanithi allotted 12 lakh equity shares to himself at just ₹10 each while the market value was ₹2,500–₹3,000 per share. This, the notice argued, was done without approval from other family shareholders and reduced the family’s stake from 50% to practically nothing, allowing Kalanithi to eventually gain 75% control over the company.
Claims of Fraud and Money Laundering
Dayanidhi’s notice accused his brother of cheating, criminal breach of trust, and money laundering. It stated that the undervalued shares were used to siphon off company ownership and benefit Kalanithi financially. The estimated gap in share value—₹3,498.8 crore—was labelled as “proceeds of crime.” Additionally, Kalanithi allegedly earned ₹5,926 crore in dividends in 2023 and ₹455 crore in 2024 from Sun TV.
The notice also raised concerns about past misrepresentations in Sun TV’s Red Herring Prospectus before its IPO. It claimed the company falsely reported dividend payments to their mother, Mallika Maran, and accused Kalanithi of using the diverted funds to acquire other companies and assets, including Sun Direct, Kal Airways, South Asian FM, and cricket teams in India and abroad.
Demands for Share Restoration and Return of Assets
The legal notice demanded the complete restoration of Sun TV’s shareholding to its pre-2003 structure, returning stakes to MK Dayalu and the legal heirs of SN Maran. It also called on Kalanithi and Kaveri Maran to return all dividends, assets, and incomes allegedly acquired since 2003.
Dayanidhi warned that if these conditions were not met, he would initiate civil, criminal, and regulatory proceedings through agencies like the Serious Fraud Investigation Office (SFIO).
Earlier Settlement With Sister Revealed
In a key revelation, the notice mentioned that an earlier legal warning was sent to Kalanithi on October 7, 2024. In response, he reportedly paid ₹500 crore to their sister Anbukarasi as part of a private settlement. It is unclear whether similar monetary compensation has now been offered to Dayanidhi or if that forms part of the latest truce.
Business Impact and Family Legacy at Stake
While Sun TV clarified earlier that the dispute was a personal family matter and would not affect the company, the public nature of the feud has placed the media conglomerate and its leadership under scrutiny. At the heart of the conflict is not just control over a highly valuable media empire, but also the legacy of the late Murasoli Maran and his ties to the powerful Karunanidhi family.
With MK Stalin stepping in to mediate, the matter appears to be moving toward a peaceful settlement, though the exact terms—whether financial, structural, or both—remain undisclosed.
