'Sembaruthi' is a long-running romantic genre serial that is very popular among housewives for its many twists and turns and ever-changing equations between the lovers. The serial which has crossed 700 episodes stars Karthick Raj, Shabhana Shahjahan, Priya Raman, Valli Mounika, V.J. Lekha, Jennifer and Narasimha Raju.

The shooting of 'Sembaruthi' was going on at a studio near Vanagaram in Chennai when a group of supporting actresses reportedly went to the police station there and lodged a complaint against the director Neeravi Pandian. They alleged that Pandian abused them with foul language because they did not emote well in a scene and demanded severe action be taken.

When the police made an enquiry Neeravi Pandian is said to have apologized to the actresses who accepted it and then the shooting resumed as usual.