Actor, producer and filmmaker Kamal Haasan has been in the thick of controversy for the last two weeks for his bold statements against the Tamil Nadu government’s corruption, which has attracted criticism from ministers including CM Edapadi Palanisamy. Kamal’s recent official statement released through his Twitter handle — which was meant not only for his followers — but also for other cinema lovers and all the voters of TN, triggered off a fresh set of debates. He has urged all to submit proof of corruption in the various departments, which the ministers challenged him.
Being a film personality, he also stated the corruption that existed in cinema — “To exempt from the Government’s 30 percent entertainment tax (before GST), there is corruption that takes place to get a censor certificate. Barring few people like me, all others in the film industry are part of this staged corruption drama to get tax exemption.” Though many actors supported Kamal when he spoke about the corruption in the state, none opened up when he subsequently alleged that many producers (including big actor-turned-producers) were asked bribes to give tax exemption of their films and that they had also obliged.
Now, actor-filmmaker Parthiban has openly supported Kamal, saying that corruption exists in state tax exemption for Tamil films — and that he himself faced a similar situation when his comeback flick Kathai Thiraikathai Vasanam was released in 2014. “What Kamal sir says is the absolute truth. What’s wrong in accepting it? Maybe some people (actors/producers) are scared to come out in the open. I also encountered the problem when my Kathai Thirai… film was released. I used to get calls from different numbers — and in a roundabout way, they indicated that I had to pay money to get tax exemption. I explained my inability to do so, and finally they were convinced and I did not pay any money. I am thankful to them.”
However he adds, “At the same time, I reiterate that there’s a problem going on in getting tax exemption for Tamil films — and depending upon the market of the lead actor, it is being fixed. Ask how many producers have got their films released without paying money?”
