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| Kuselan distribution rights sold for 64 crores
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PYRAMID Saimira is at its pinnacle now, rightly so.
It has just bought the distribution rights for Rajini-starrer 'Kuselan' (remake of Katha Parayumbol) for a whopping Rs 65 crore. Though its group Chairman, PS Saminathan, refused to confirm the amount, he told this website's newspaper that this was the costliest deal the company has struck.
PS Saminathan, who has taken the reigns recently, following ‘Pyramid’ V Natarajan’s retirement, says Rajini’s involvement in the film was actually the reason he opted for the movie.
'Kuselan' was actually a movie Rajini was wary of creating expectations with the fans. “I don’t account for more than 25 percent of the movie,” he openly stated at the movie launch in early March. And it was believable to all those Rajini fans,who by then had grabbed a copy of the Malayalam original 'Kadha Parayumbhol'. Mamooty, whose character Rajini is now playing, did little more than offer himself for the camera for a few minutes, doing a cameo.
So why opt for a movie which the Superstar is only 25 percent of, that too, at a record price? PS Saminathan comes with more news: “Actually, the role of Rajini is much much more than 25 percent. That’s why,” he says. Now, that must be relief to the million-odd fans who couldn’t fathom why Rajini chose to do such a role in the first place.
'Kuselan', starring Rajini, Pasupathy, Nayantara, Meena and Vadivelu, is Pyramid Saimira’s single costliest project. “But in terms of exposure, it is our least risky project,” clarifies Saminathan. An auction for 'Kuselan'’s rights has been in the news for quite sometime now, and the one who seems to have bagged it, in all languages, all forms and all modes, worldwide, says its brand, infrastructure, industry goodwill, not to forget its exhibition dominance, pulled it through.
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“All of them participated,” he says, referring to other major distributors.
“But the deal wasn’t initiated by us,” Saminathan explains, as he believes any South Indian film will have to play in Pyramid’s screens for proper collections. Likewise, he says competing in terms of price might not be necessary, as the movie will run in his theatres anyway.
'Kuselan' is the story of the friendship between an actor and a barber. Rajini plays himself in the movie. And there is a popular belief in the industry that movies based on films and film stars don’t turn out to be lucrative ventures. But when asked to comment on it, “I’ve not heard of any such belief. I know not one big film which has failed this way,” he retorts. “Remember the Hindi film 'Om Shanti Om'? Was it a success or a failure?” he asks in return.
As one of the leaders in the business of cinema (Pyramid Saimira is into production, exhibition and distribution of movies), their take on films in Kollywood is a revelation in itself.
“Only low-class films collect money, be it in cities, towns or villages,” Saminathan says,when asked about what kind of films sell.
Good movies, he says, are reviewed well, receive appreciation and are talked about, but not seen even by those who appreciate it.
“It is like the case with educated critics, who complain about politics, write letters to the editor, but do not vote,” he says.
And when asked what Kollywood depends most on, Saminathan says it still is the star value that rules, though his company is striving hard to make it change. Buying a Rajini-starrer at a record price may suggest otherwise though.
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