Actor Vishal questions the need for new producers’ body in Kollywood

Vishal, former president of the Tamil Film Producers Council (TFPC), has questioned the need for starting a new council under a new leadership, referring to the body named Tamil Film Active Producers Association (TFAPA) recently started by Bharathiraja. Here he is, in an exclusive conversation with Deccan Chronicle.

Bharathiraja had said in a statement, “The new Association is formed with a view to protecting the interest of active film producers whose requirement for producing, marketing, distributing, and managing their film business faces significant challenges due to the pandemic.”

To this, Vishal responds, “The state government had appointed a Special Officer and formed an ad-hoc committee with nine members who were functioning formally from April 2019 , from the time my tenure got over, till March 2020. Going by Bharathiraja’s statement, the question arises whether the ad-hoc committee formed by the government was unable to conduct the TPFC work and cater to the said requirements of the ‘active’ producers. The actual purpose of branching out to a new council is not clear.”

Vishal goes on to add, “Also, TFPC is the main parent body, which other film industry bodies like the distributors' association and exhibitors' association approach for any clarification/arbitration.

Now, Bharathiraja states that the existing TFPC will remain as the parent body and the active producers will continue to be its members and support its growth. This is a very confusing structure for other associations when problems arise.”

There’s another problem that he foresees.

“Yet another major issue TFPC faces is the title registration of films. There’s TFPC, the Film and Television Producers Guild of South India, and a Film Chamber. In all three places, a producer can register his title. And this has created several difficulties in the past. One more now?” the Sandakozhi star asks.

Meanwhile, Bharathiraja has appealed to the active and current film producers to join the new Association. We ask Vishal if he, being an active producer, would enroll with TFAPA, and he replies, “Once I get clarity, I may think about it.”