CHENNAI: Friday will be a litmus test for films made by members of former Chief Minister M Karunanidhi’s family, as ‘Udhayan’ —starring his grandson Arulnidhi — is scheduled to hit the screens. The first film from the family since the change in regime, ‘Udhayan’ has had limited promotional.
Produced by Prabhakaran (Muthamizh Padaippagam), ‘Udhayan’ features Arulnidhi and Praneetha in leading roles, and is directed by debutant Chaplin.
Shooting for the film commenced on what the DMK regime had stipulated as Tamil New Year (observed at the start of Thai, around January 14). After his debut film, ‘Vamsam’, (the title suggestive of his lineage), ‘Udhayan’s title too has raised eyebrows, suggestive as it is of the DMK’s ‘rising sun’ symbol.
But, in stark contrast to ‘Vamsam’ and other films produced or distributed by the DMK’s first family till now, ‘Udhayan’ has not been extensively promoted.
It may be recalled that the ‘Vamsam’ audio launch was among the grandest held in the city last July with Karunanidhi and leading stars such as Vijay and Suriya participating.
The audio launch of ‘Udhayan’, on the other hand, was a somber private affair. Neither did the crew and cast of the film meet the media to promote the film.
“During the release of ‘Vamsam’, huge posters and banners promoting the hero lined all arterial roads in Kodambakkam, but promotion for this film has been fairly mediocre, considering that the strength of films from the former CM’s kin was the media network they have to promote their products,” said a senior film analyst.
The film has been distributed fairly well and the movie will be released in at least 150 film halls across Tamil Nadu, much like ‘Vamsam’, an office-bearer of the Tamil Nadu Theatre Owners Association said on conditions of anonymity.
With complaints being piled up against Karunanidhi’s family for forcing theatre owners to run their films, ‘Udhayan’s release sans fanfare should reveal the public’s true acceptance of the actor.