Even as some high-profile producers have turned against film financier and distributor Anbu Chezhiyan following the suicide of producer Ashok Kumar, several renowned film-makers and producers have come out in support of Mr. Chezhiyan.
Film-makers Sundar C., Seenu Ramasamy and Vetrimaaran, along with actor Vijay Antony, said that he is a fair and supportive financier. Distributor Tiruppur Subramaniam said there was an attempt to smear him.
Speaking about the much-needed reforms in the industry, actor Vishal, president, Tamil Film Producers Council, hoped that Mr. Chezhiyan could soon be located so that all these allegations can be properly investigated.
“We are not debating whether Anbu Chezhiyan is a good man or not. He might have been a good person to 10 people; personally I have not been harassed by him. None of this means that he couldn’t have forced Ashok Kumar to commit suicide as Ashok himself as written in his letter.”
Assurance to producers
He said that the producers who are undergoing debt problems can approach the Tamil Film Producers Council.
“No problem is insurmountable. We hope to reach out to as many producers as possible and see if we can solve this amicably.”
‘Planning needed’
Mr. Vishal also added that it was time producers carefully planned their ventures and distributors ensures that the collection figures are out there in the open.
“The entire movie ticketing business in Tamil Nadu has to be computerised so that every hero can know his worth. This data can be used to fix a lot of things in the industry. Right now, we are only dealing with fictitious numbers. And there should not be any question of a federation giving ‘red’ cards to stop the release of the movie,” he said.
Reacting to this, distributor Tiruppur Subramaniam said that the producers and the actors should set their house in order before pointing fingers.
“Even distribution and exhibition business is not very profitable. Much of the problem lies with the way producers spend their money: there is no proper planning, film heroes are being treated as gods and they spend lavishly. First, let them set their house in order before accusing us of sabotaging the film business,” he said.
A producer, who wished anonymity, alleged that those who were supporting Mr. Chezhiyan were ‘deep in business’ with him or were out to split the opposition to film financiers.
