Tamil film producer TG Thyagarajan, founder of Sathya Jyothi Films, has been appointed Chairman of the Task Force on Media and Entertainment at the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), Southern Region. The Tamil Nadu-based production company is known for producing successful films, from Balu Mahendra’s Moondram Pirai (1982) to Ajith’s Viswasam (2019).
The CII is an industry association that represents various sectors; it also works towards the development of the entertainment and media industry.
In a press release, producer Thyagarajan acknowledged the crisis faced by the entertainment industry in view of the pandemic and the nationwide lockdown.
He said, “Right now, the entire film and media industry, much similar to any other industrial sector is going through an acute crisis. Having got this new role at this critical point of time leaves me with more challenging tasks and I am looking forward to accomplishing it.”
Having a Tamil film producer represent the southern region at the national confederation is looked at hopefully by many from the industry.
TG Thyagarajan has produced over 40 feature films and over 5,000 television episodes across the four southern languages. Thyagarajan was previously the President of Tamil Film Producers Council (TFPC), Honorary Secretary of the South India Film Chamber of Commerce and Board Member of Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC). He was also the Founder – President of Society of Television Producers of Southern India (S.T.E.P.S).
During the coronavirus-induced lockdown, film shootings have been banned. However, television serials were being allowed to be shoot briefly. While the industry grapples with this crisis, some films have chosen to release directly on streaming platforms like Amazon Prime Video. While the move was criticised by theatre owners, Tamil film producers looked at this as the best solution to the current situation.
So far, Jyotika’s Ponmagal Vandhal was the first big Tamil film to be released on an OTT platform. Keerthy Suresh’s Penguin will be released this Friday.