It may be a lot more than Simbu’s last release Poda Podi grossed, but to get the strife-ridden Vaalu into theatres this Friday, his father Vijaya T Rajhendherr has shelled out a massive `25 crore.
“The producer of this film, NIC Arts’ S S Chakravarthy, had lost a lot of money on other films and the cumulative effect had fallen on Vaalu. There were nearly 16 cases against the film when I attempted to release it last month. All of them were financiers who wanted their money back. After a lot of adjustment and promises and arbitration, we have reached this stage, but not without spending `25 crore for the debt settlement,” said the actor-turned-producer.
During this dark period where no one was coming forward to help them get the two-year-old film released, support from Vijay made all the difference.
Following up on the lavish praise that he had heaped on him during Puli’s audio launch, Rajhendherr said, “Simbu is an Ajith fan. But Vijay has said that he is a fan of mine. Perarasu told me the same thing and said that he was a fan of mine because we both liked the subject of sister sentiment in a film. When this problem started and there were several forces stopping this film, he called me and told me that he would be with me, and quickly added, “When I was struggling to put together a few crores to release the film, Vijay sent his manager P T Selvakumar to support me. He stayed with me every day, solving problems, giving assurances, even when a fresh issue came up on Monday. If Vijay had not stood with me I don’t know what I would have done. I am indebted to him.”
Responding to another query, an emotionally charged TR said, “Everybody will be concerned about the well being of their films. I’m not blaming anyone, but there were several forces in the background trying to block the film from releasing. Some people said it would never come, but there were people who kept the faith in us and are releasing it in 300 theatres and in 1,000 theatres globally on August 14.”