Actor Kamal Haasan’s Uttama Villain was finally released in theatres on Saturday after its producer, Thirrupathi Brothers, and their financiers struck a deal. The film, which was supposed to have been released on May 1, was delayed due to inability of the producer to settle some dues to their debtors.
The heads of various unions of the Tamil film industry – importantly, Producers Council and Nadigar Sangam and the parties concerned – were involved in marathon negotiations that lasted for close to 27 hours, paving the way for the film’s release on Saturday.
Actor Sarath Kumar, head of Nadigar Sangam, said that the delay in the release was primarily due to financial issues, which the producer did not anticipate. “There is absolutely no political angle to this delay. The issue was flagged around 3 a.m. on the day of its release. The government has been very supportive of the film industry,” he said.
Filmmaker Lingusamy, who is a part of Thirrupathi Brothers, apologised to Kamal Haasan’s fans for not ensuring a smooth release. He also thanked producer Gnanavel Raja of Studio Green for pitching in at the right time.
Though the decks were cleared by noon, the theatres weren’t screening Uttama Villain right away. “We had already scheduled other movies in its place and sold tickets. The film will have regular shows from Sunday,” said a theatre owner from Chennai.
