Chennai: In recent times, December had always seen the best in Kollywood. It was Dhuruvangal-16 in 2016 and Aruvi in 2017. In that row, this December will see Vijay Sethupathi’s Seethakathi, Dhanush’s Maari 2 and Jayam Ravi’s Adangamaru getting ready to hit the screens. Also in the pipeline are Vishnuu Vishal’s Silukkuvarpatti Singam, Aishwarya Rajesh’s Kanaa and Kannada magnum-opus KGF starring Yash. But the problem is that all these films are getting released on the same weekend (20 and 21 December). It has led to chaos in Tamil Film Producers’ Council.
I will not back out: Vishnuu Vishal
Everything came into the spotlight when Vishnuu Vishal tweeted, ‘REGULATIONS..No Regulations..REGULATIONS..No Regulations..No Regulations..No Regulations..REGULATIONS.. is this how justice is served to the people who try n follow rules? not frst this is the second time its happening to me n othrs..why rules thn? #systemfailure #politicswithin’. He was so angry about the dilution in following the regulations committee of the TFPC that allocates the release window for movies in such a way that small budget movies get affected by the release of big-budget films by not getting a screen.
When queried about this, Vishnuu told News Today, ‘I blocked the date along with Boomerang. After some time, the TFPC regulation committee called both of us and asked whether we are okay if a big budget movie is releasing on the same weekend. Since we both are smaller films, we agreed for a big film. We thought it would be either Maari-2 or Seethakathi that is releasing. But, it was shocking that both the movies get released the same weekend.’
Apparently, Vishnuu had announced that Udhayanidhi’s Red Giant Movies will be releasing Silukkuvarpatti Singam that was produced by his own production house Vishnu Vishal Studioz. ‘They thought we would back-off if both big films release on the same weekend. I was still defending my movie and Boomerang. But Boomerang team did not fall to face trouble and so they quit. I still wanted to fight. So, I sold the distribution rights to Red Giant and now even my movie is a big film. I am not going to lose my respect anyway.’
When asked, won’t this lead to an unhealthy atmosphere in the industry, Vishnuu said, ‘I am doing this only because they must never make this unhealthy. Their attitude of thinking smaller films will back-off when big films come in should be taught a lesson. Also, I am not ready to give up my name among the distributors. I have already sent blow-ups to theatres mentioning that my film release on 21 December. If I postpone the date, will the exhibitors and distributors trust me if I come up with a new movie in the future? So, I am sticking to my date and would keep up my word.’
Everyone should win: Vishal
However, the scenario at TFPC seems to be quite different. The council president and actor Vishal said, ‘I did not want anyone to lose. We want this to be streamlined. I will fight for it till the end of my term as TFPC president.’
Further, Vishal added, ‘We warned the production houses of all six films. We had a long discussion with exhibitors and distributors involved. Apart from these six films, Zero from Bollywood and Odiyan from Mollywood are also releasing. Already Aquaman and Spider-Man: Into the Spiderverse are releasing this weekend. So, it will surely be a big hit if so many Tamil films release on the same day. But they were not ready to listen to us.’
It is to be noted that, the Tamil dubbed version of KGF that is releasing on 21 December is distributed by Vishal’s company, Vishal Film Factory. ‘Every industry, it is a superstar’s movie that is releasing. Shah Rukh Khan, Mohanlal and Yash. I am really afraid how all these movies are going to survive,’ Vishal added.
When asked, will this continue in the future, he said, ‘This weekend will be learning for all of us and I am pretty sure, everyone will understand the consequences. Also, I am not going to let this happen in the future. This will surely be an end of all of it. No one can say that the regulations committee has failed. We will make everything stringent and see to that no producer gets affected.’
Also, replying to a question on the allegations that said Vishal is being cornered and his voice is not being heard inside TFPC, he said, ‘There is nothing like that at all. I was warning the producers till the last moment, but they wanted to take the risk in the first place. We even suggested them to take 14 December weekend for which none of them was ready. So, we all took up this unanimous decision of opening the weekend to all movies. We are together.’