CHENNAI: Rajini, Kamal, Vijay and Ajith get only 10 days a year on which their films can hit screens, from now and possibly ever more.
The Tamil Film Producers Council (TFPC) made an announcement that from June 1, all films that are made on a budget of Rs 15 crore and above will have to mandatorily release their films only on ten pre-determined holidays (Pongal, Republic Day, Tamil New Years Day, May Day, Vinayaka Chathurthi, Independence Day, Deepavali, Vijayadasami, Ramzan and Christmas).
The move is ostensibly aimed at making it easier for smaller producers and filmmakers to have a level playing field. TFPC President Kalaipuli S Thanu said, "There are several dangers and problems in allowing big budget films to hold monopoly over the box office, especially If smaller budget films stop being made. This is not good for business nor is it healthy for the cinema industry.
That is why this decision has been taken by the Executive Committee and the General Body." Thanu, whose company V Creations has made large budget films like Vijay's Rs 70 crore Thuppakki and is now believed to be producing Rajinikanth's next film with Pa Ranjith, will have a severe handicap because of the move.
This will also be a body blow for producers like Aascar Ravichandran and A M Rathnam who have been known to spend lavishly on their films. Almost all large hero project films tend to cost over Rs 50 crore, including artist remuneration. Small filmmakers, for their part are overjoyed. "It was only because of the severe lack of screens that we had to release our film Mahabalipuram along with 10 other films two months back.
That situation makes it very difficult for us to earn money and get a return on investment, but we do it because we are confident of our film," said director Don Sandy. Smaller budget films with newbies have been overflowing in Kollywood to such an extent that of the 300 films that were made last year, 205 were released - close to 85 percent of them sunk without a trace, often not making it beyond the first week.
TFPC also announced that smaller producers making films under Rs 15 crore can release their films on any Friday of the year, except these ten days. This is bound to be welcomed by producers like J Satish Kumar of JSK Film Corporation who has produced Award-winning films like Kuttram Kadithal and Thangkameenkal, but have had to do extreme introspection before attempting a theatrical release.
The only danger, according to a producer from Coimbatore, was that producers may begin tweaking their budgets slightly to open the field up, "Mid level heroes will be at an advantage If they get a clash-free release and so producers may well keep some expenses off the books to achieve this sub-15 crore margin.
That is why we raised this point in the meeting and insisted that an accounting scrutiny committee is present to ensure that such malpractices do nort creep in," he said.