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The news of AIADMK alliance sweeping the polls has brought cheers to the Tamil film industry. “The entire film industry had the grievance of being monopolised by the Chief Minister's family. We welcome the change in Government,” said Ms Radhika Sarathkumar, actor, film producer and chairperson of media company Radaan Mediaworks (I) Ltd.
Until now, the entire industry — film production, distribution, exhibition and sale of rights — was dominated by a few production houses: Sun Pictures, a division of Sun TV Network owned by the Maran brothers; Red Giant of Mr Udayanidhi Stalin, son of the Deputy Chief Minister, Mr M.K. Stalin; and Cloud Nine of Mr Dhayanidhi Azhagiri, son of Union Minister and Chief Minister's son Mr M.K. Azhagiri. “We hope the new Government puts an end to the family-controlled era,” said another leading film producer on the condition of anonymity.
In the last two to three years, almost none of the small- and medium-budgeted films could see the light of the day, because the cinemas were “not available” for screening movies other than those produced by the ‘big' producers, say industry sources.
The “domination” of the Tamil film industry by production houses affiliated to the ruling party had become a part of the State's lore in the recent years. Indeed, once when queried on this, Mr Karunanidhi himself pointed out in defence that while Raj Kapoor's family and Sivaji Ganesan's family could dominate the industry, why not his (Karunanidhi's)?
Top producers such as the AVM — which has been in movie production for half a century — had to defer to the might of the three ‘biggies'.
Mr P.S. Saaminathan, Chairman and Managing Director of Pyramid Saimira Ltd, said he welcomes the change in regime more in his capacity as the chairman of a corporate. “The erstwhile regime did all it could to sabotage the company's growth,” Mr Saaminathan, who has often said he had been “done in” by the system, told Business Line on Friday.
Pyramid Saimira became public in 2006, and the stock currently trades at Rs 5.29. Some other media companies that are into film production are Raj TV (Rs 63.50), GV Films (90 paise) and Radaan Mediaworks (Rs 2.50).
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