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Lyca offers Rs 1 lakh to settle '2.0' subtitling row, Rekhs declines

Written by : TNM Staff

Over two weeks since subtitlist Rekhs alleged on Twitter that she was not paid for her work in Lyca’s 2018 magnum opus 2.0, the production house has finally responded to her accusations.

On Wednesday, Lyca Productions put out an official statement addressing the issue on their Twitter handle, claiming that their allotted budget for subtitles was Rs 50,000 and that Rekhs, who had demanded Rs 2 lakh for her work, had gone ahead with the project “out of her own free will.” Adding that her demand was not the market rate, Lyca has also claimed that her “media outbursts” were intended to defame them.

Calling her statements “false accusations” Lyca has added that they had reached out to her 10 days back and offered to pay Rs 1 lakh even though it wasn’t supposedly their agreed budget in the first place.

Speaking to TNM, Rekhs who is now being flooded with messages on social media, says the entire exercise has been exhausting for her. “I sent them my job letter on October 5, 2018, stipulated my terms - Rs 1 lakh for Tamil plus Rs 25,000 for time coding, and 40 to 60% for other languages, depending on how much input is required from my team. All of it together amounts to Rs 2.05 lakh. How could I have started work if they hadn’t agreed to these terms and given me access to the reels?” she asks.

In a tweet, Rekhs has responded to Lyca, denying their claim that they had reached out to her with an offer officially. “Who was that person who they claim had reached out to me? Someone who is no longer associated with Lyca reached out to me saying I should settle for Rs 1 lakh. Is this way of reaching out to me?” she further questions.

Having worked on the project from October 8 to November 13, Rekhs points out that if Lyca had found her to be too expensive, they should not have agreed to give her the reels in the first place. “When they asked me to work for Rs 50,000 I categorically said no and my previous Rajini sir film, I was paid Rs 1 lakh. If I was way beyond their budget why hire me in the first place,” she asks.

Reiterating that she wouldn’t settle for any less than her initial quote, Rekhs explains that she is not doing this just for the money. “You should understand that this is not for the money. I do not want my name to be dragged down like that. Several times I have been very understanding to producers when they were unable to pay me immediately. Payment would be sent to me after the film releases and makes money. Moreover, I have and continue to work for free as well. I have subtitled over 750 short films, several documentaries, social speeches free of cost,” she adds.

Noting that she never intended to defame Lyca, Rekhs points out that if she had such intentions, she might have withheld the reels until payment was made, as is the norm in the industry. “I didn’t because of the trust I had in Lyca and also because I didn’t want to delay the release,” she tells us.

Even while Rekhs continues to receive support on Twitter, she concludes that she’s tired of this back and forth and would like to end the conversation if Lyca is not willing to pay her alleged dues of Rs 2.05 lakh.

2.0 was directed by Shankar and had a host of stars in the cast, including Rajinikanth, Akshay Kumar and Amy Jackson. 

Also Read: Trusted them in good faith: Subtitlist Rekhs alleges Lyca hasn't paid her for '2.0'

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