One of the important promises that featured in Vishal-Nasser’s Pandavar Ani Election Manifesto during the 2015 South Indian Artistes Association aka the Nadigar Sangam elections was the new Nadigar Sangam building complex. Over three years and an extended term later, the building remains incomplete, yet to see the grand scale as intended by those who proposed it.
While the Sangam awaits the date of its next elections to be announced any time now, its present ruling team is yet to finish and inaugurate the promised state-of-the-art building. Speaking to TNM, Nasser, President of the Nadigar Sangam, denies that their team promised completing such a building during their tenure.“It may happen after elections. It is such a mammoth of a building, everyone knows how long it will take. We didn’t promise that we’ll finish the building,” he says.
In an interview last year, Vishal had said that the new building would be inaugurated in January 2019. Vishal had also joked in the past that only after the completion of the building would his marriage take place. A few months later, in August 2018, the members had gathered at the still incomplete building to conduct their 38th EC meet from where a photo was shared.
As a family, we embarked on a journey before 3 yrs and now our dreams stand accomplished with #SIAA 38th EC meet held at Nadigar Sangam new building. Aspiring and dreaming to push the bars furthermore with team efforts. @nasser_kameela @VishalKOfficial @Karthi_Offl pic.twitter.com/3xc9jMDlqA
— NadigarSangam PrNews (@NadigarsangamP) August 12, 2018
It was later announced that the new building was most likely to be inaugurated in March 2019. The foundation stone for the Nadigar Sangam building was laid in April 2017 by Kamal Haasan and Rajinikanth. A 1000-seater auditorium and technology well-suited to host film festivals within the premises were proposed for the 18-ground property.
In February 2016, the team had cancelled an agreement between the Nadigar Sangam and SPI Cinemas, entered by the previous office bearers in November 2010, to build a multiplex on the Nadigar Sangam-owned property in T Nagar. For this, Rs 2.48 crore was paid by the Nadigar Sangam to SPI cinemas.
The Sangam would have retained one floor in the proposed multiplex and would have also received Rs. 26 lakh every month as lease for the land.
About last night !!
— Vishal (@VishalKOfficial) April 5, 2018
The Building @ Nadigar Sangham is shaping up beautifully well....GB pic.twitter.com/GJeNMgKiGj
Demolition began in March 2011, but towards the end of 2012, allegations of irregularities in the contract surfaced. This set off a turbulent election season for the Sangam with a group of actors - Vishal, Karthi, Karunaas and Naseer - who eventually won the elections, contesting to prevent the sale from coming through.
Now, two years after the foundation stone was laid, the building is yet to be inaugurated. The three-year tenure of the present team that was to end in October 2018 was extended by six months at a general body meeting in August 2018, since a new building, as promised by Vishal’s team, was to be inaugurated in March 2019.
While Nasser agrees that the Sangam building was one among the reasons for extending Pandavar Ani’s term, he now tells us that the building may be inaugurated only after the elections.