Tamilnadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi today announced that entertainment tax exemption for Tamil cinema would continue.

Speaking at the launch of the movie Nee Indri Nan Illai based on his novel Surulimalai, the Chief Minister said, ‘Though the State government has been losing a revenue of Rs 50 crore every year by way of entertainment tax exemption,  we are committed to continue with it for the welfare of the industry’.

It may be recalled that representatives from local bodies had called on Karunanidhi seeking him to reconsider entertainment tax exemption for it resulted in a revenue loss for them too. Soon, the State government appointed a committee to consider their plea.

Also a section of film directors spearheaded a campaign against the DMK-led alliance in the recently concluded Lok Sabha elections. Karunanidhi’s announcement today came as a relief for the Tamil film fraternity.

Taking a dig at those film personalities who campaigned against him in the elections recently, the Chief Minister said, ‘ I am not worried about their remarks or allegations. Their words can never hurt me and I am not here to take revenge on them. I am confident that it is a matter of time before they would come with medicine to heal my wounds.’

Nee Indri Nan Illai’s story, screenplay and dialogues were by Karunanidhi. Directed by Ilavenil, the movie is produced by Arumuganeri Murugesan. ‘Quite like my last film (Uliyin Osai), I will be contributing the remuneration I get from this film to the cause of poor senior artistes in Nadigar Sangam’, he said.

Speaking on the occasion, actor Kamal Haasan, said, ‘Karunanidhi’s dialogues were my gate- pass to AVM Studios. I uttered his dialogues from Parasakthi which helped me enter this studio. His fiery dialogues give hope and opportunity to every aspiring actor’.

Veteran actress Manorama, producer AVM Saravanan, FEFSI president V C Guganathan, actor Vivek were among those who took part in the function.