The ongoing Tamil Film Producers Council (TFPC) strike has ensured that no new Tamil films will release this Tamil New Year, celebrated on April 14. The cap on new releases is entering its seventh week, the longest ever strike in the Tamil film industry.
Although, other language films, barring Telugu, are being released in the state, the fact that no new Tamil films have released has dampened the spirits of several movie-goers spirits.
The Tamil New Year weekend is usually an important time for releases. Besides Diwali and Pongal, films usually line up for a release on or around Tamil New Year. Last year, Dhanush’s Pa Paandi released and, in 2016, Atlee’s Theri came out on April 14 – both went on to become smash hits.
Owing to the exorbitant price rates of digital projectors fixed by digital service providers, the Tamil Film Producers’ Council decided to go on an indefinite strike. It has been over a month now, and the end doesn’t seem to be in sight.
There are around 30 Tamil films which are waiting to be released. There are rumours that the eagerly anticipated Rajinikanth starrer Kaala, which is supposed to hit the screens on April 27, might be pushed to a later date.
It was first announced that there will be no new releases in the state from March 3. And next, in an effort to intensify its agitation, it was announced that all operations pertaining to the industry, even shooting of Tamil films, will have to stop from March 16.
Following this, several producers and others dependent on the industry for their livelihood have started to feel the pinch in the strike that seems to be unending as of now. In a five-page legal notice, Sri Varaaki Amman Pictures slammed Vishal and the Film Producers Council for curtailing the freedom of trade and putting its business in “complete distress”.
In addition to this, the Tamil Nadu Theatre Owners and Distributors Association is all set to file a complaint against the TFPC with the Competition Commission of India next week.
Some of the films that are waiting for release are Vishal’s Irumbu Thirai, Atharvaa’s Imaikaa Nodigal, Jayam Ravi’s Tik Tik Tik, Mari Selvaraj’s Pariyerum Perumal and Jiiva’s Kee. Karthik Subbaraj’s silent thriller Mercury has been released in all the other states except Tamil Nadu.