The fight between Puri Jagannadh and the trio – Kaali Sudheer, Abhishek Nama and Muthyala Raju – is getting murkier by the day. After the director filed a complaint against them citing that they are “assaulting” him, the trio even organised a press meet refuting all the allegations and even went onto say they have no clue of what’s going on. The filmmaker hasn’t said anything much since an after all the news doing the rounds, the director decided to share his side of the story. Speaking to a leading English daily, this is what he revealed:
“THE BACKSTORY
Before the release of Loafer, Abhishek Nama and Kaali Sudheer came to my office and requested me to sign five movies under their banner. Likewise, Muthyala Ramdas also asked me to do a film for his banner. However, I refrained because I realised that they had a hidden agenda. They wanted to tie up with me only so that they can make me liable for their losses and financial burdens by announcing films with me. My doubts proved to be right. During Loafer’s promotions, Muthyala Ramdas stated to the press: ‘Puri Jagannadh is distributor’s director… if we end up suffering losses, he will take care of us. He is such a nice gentleman…’ Why did he have to say that?
Sudheer has now been alleging now that he has nothing to do with Loafer; but fact is that he told me, ‘Puri sir, we bought this film only because of you…We paid Rs 7.5 crore for the Nizam rights…’ Later, I found out from the producer that it wasn’t true. They paid less than half of that sum.
So, it is evident that they have been doing all this drama just to blackmail me and make sure that I do more films with them. They are showing manipulated figures and trying to fleece me.
I WON’T GIVE IN…
I respect my producer C Kalyan garu. He is the one who hired me. if he is in trouble because of a film I worked on, I will work again and again for him… But why should I do anything for false people, who are only trying to dupe me? Even I have produced many films. for so many of my hit films, I didn’t get proper returns from the buyers. Yet, for all the flop films under my banner, I’ve cleared all dues which I owed the buyers. But Loafer did not release under my banner. I’m just the director; why should I pay anyone? In fact, I even reduced my remuneration by Rs 1 crore for Loafer because Varun is still a growing star; I didn’t want to put additional burden on the producer. I offered to take a pay cut even before my producer asked to me. That’s the kind of director I am.
THE BIGGER ISSUE
Unlike in Bollywood, where all collections are accounted for, in Andhra and Telangana, except in multiplexes, there is no computerised billing systems. So, there is no proper accounting in place. The distributors fudge figures to suit their whims and filmmakers are helpless. The government should come down heavily on this because finally, it is the government which is losing out on revenue.
I WILL FIGHT BACK
Troubling creative people for money does not bode well for the film industry; it’s not leading to a healthy atmosphere for Tollywood. How is it my responsibility if someone lost money? I didn’t ask anyone to buy the film! Heroes and directors are no way connected to losses. If they continue to blackmail me and blame me for their alleged losses, I have no other option but to take support from actors and directors to fight for this issue. This is not just Puri Jagannadh’s problem, this is the problem of every creative person who works in Telugu cinema. There are so many livelihoods at stake. It’s high time we took action.”
