The powerful Kanchipuram-Thiruvallur District Theatre Owners Association held an emergency meeting on Monday (Aug 18) in Chennai and has demanded that they be compensated for their loss in playing Kuselan.
They have claimed that they lost nearly 75 percent of the MG (Minimum Guarantee) amount they paid to the distributors.
P.Kannappan, Secretary of the association says: "Nearly 300 screens that released Kuselan in Tamilnadu who have paid attractive MG’s has suffered huge losses. We paid huge MG’s, as director P.Vasu, producers Kavithalaya and Seven Arts assured us that it was a full length Rajinikanth film, but we were conned by them"
The association President S.P Palaniappan said: "We have asked Mr. Rajinikanth to intervene and request the producers to pay us for the losses and settle the matter amicably. There is a precedent to it, as he compensated all of us when Baba failed."
The association has decided to boycott all films of Kavithalaya which are under production.
Meanwhile Rajinikanth who has come back from US is trying to sort out the issue, behind the scene. He is willing to pay a part of the compensation package, and is also trying to put pressure on the producers to pay up.
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
Kuselan distributors ask for refund!
Chiru's punch dialogues in Press Meet.
1.On being asked whether he was a Leftist or rightist, actor Chiranjeevi said: "I am neither a Leftist nor a Rightist. I prefer to be a humanist."
2."They (Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy and N. Chandrababu Naidu) are not my rivals. My rivalry is against poverty and hunger. I always wonder why despite all the programmes, the poor remain the same."
3."Yes, I am a sensitive person. Since I am sensitive, I am in a better position to understand people's problems and that's an advantage for me."
4."No I am not a Robinhood, but I care a lot for the livelihood of the poor."
5."If I now decide against entering politics, I will be committing a historic blunder."
6."Yes, I do not know politics. I also do not know what constitutes blood groups. But I know for sure that blood saves a person's life."
7."I am not entering politics to seek power or post but to serve the people."
8."If there is no political vacuum, there would not have been such response. There were top heroes when I acted in my first film 30 years ago. But people admired my acting. People seek change and that itself is a vacuum."
Chiru makes political entry
Hyderabad, Aug 17 (HT): Megastar Chiranjeevi on Sunday formally announced his entry into politics, with assembly polls just eight months away. Amid scenes of celebrations by his fans, the 53-year-old Megastar made the announcement at his new party office in Jubilee Hills here, ending a year-long speculation over his political plans.
"It was Kalam’s counsel that inspired me to take the final decision. I would have committed a historic blunder had I not entered politics," the mega star said at a crowded press conference.
Chiranjeevi said electoral tie-ups would be considered later and claimed he had no enemies- "I have no rivals in politics. My enemies are poverty and backwardness. I will pursue positive politics focused on the poor.” He said the people would decide his role after elections. He was vague about which constituency he would contest from.
Thanking his well-wishers, the actor said he would try to remove the sufferings of the poor. Pro-poor policies and social justice will be the party’s main agenda, he said.
He said he wasn’t quitting films but was open to only educational and meaningful ones. On declaring his assets, the actor said he had filed his income tax returns and it could be accessed with the help of the RTI act.
On several issues like the precise reasons for kickstarting a political party, his views on a separate Telangana state, the issue of Naxalism, on the relevance of Congress and TDP, Chiranjeevi parried replies saying they were "sensitive issues" and he would react at an "appropriate time".
The party’s name and agenda would be unveiled at the party’s maiden public meeting at Tirupati on August 26, coinciding with Mother Teresa’s birth anniversary.
Interestingly, Chiranjeevi paid rich tributes to NT Rama Rao,the founder of Telugu Desam Party, for having inspired him in more than one way.
Chiranjeevi, in true filmy style, referred to two suicide notes — one by a home guard and another by an IT couple who lamented that they were embracing death without having got a chance to vote for him. He also bowed his head before intellectuals, artists, women and students, who had urged him to join politics and declared that it would be a blunder not to respond to their invitation.
Pressed on how he would react to difficult issues, Chiranjeevi said his sensitivity would be his strength. "Being sensitive, I can understand the pain of the people better than the present day politicians."
State politics has largely remained bipolar and the new party is expected to cause an exodus from both the Congress and the TDP.
Even as Chiranjeevi held forth his views, Congress MP Ch Harirama Jogiah resigned and said he would join the new party, criticising the way the Congress was run by chief minister Y.S. Rajasekhar Reddy.