CHENNAI: In a development that does not augur well for Tamil cinema, director Bala on Friday issued a stern warning to director Bharathiraja and writer Rathna Kumar, over a novel ‘Kutraparambarai’ being the subject of both their films.
Addressing a press conference, Bala said, “I am hurt. They have pushed me to this stage where I am compelled go public. Firstly, ‘Kutraparambarai’ is not a story, but a real-life incident. Nobody can claim the right to it saying, ‘I wrote this story!’ This is history. Similarly, (a person) insisting that only I will make this into a film is very childish, because anybody can make a film on history.” He, however, clarified that he had never said he was making ‘Kutraparambarai’ into a film.
Coming down heavily on writer Rathna Kumar for alleging in an interview that he (Bala) and Velaa Ramamoorthy had gone to Bharathiraaja seeking employment, Bala said, “I have been an assistant only to Balu Mahendra. I am stubborn about called somebody my Guru, and have starved on several occasions for this policy of mine.”
He refuted a series of allegations by Rathna Kumar and in turn levelled some against the two.
“I have forgiven them four times. I cannot be patient any more. From now, if they open their mouths about me even once, whether it is good or not for me, it certainly isn’t going to be good for them, “ he said.