‘We have to reduce our salaries by 30-40%’: Vetrimaaran shares his thoughts on revival of theatrical business in India

‘We have to reduce our salaries by 30-40%’: Vetrimaaran shares his thoughts on revival of theatrical business in India

As a die-hard fan of Vetrimaaran’s cinematic masterpieces, I find myself utterly captivated by his recent insights shared during the roundtable interview with The Hollywood Reporter. His wisdom and foresight for the revival of the Indian theater industry are nothing short of inspiring.


In a recent roundtable discussion with The Hollywood Reporter, filmmaker Vetrimaaran expressed views on the potential recovery of theater businesses in India. He suggested that for the industry to flourish, it is essential for filmmakers to cut down on their own expenses such as salaries and production costs.

The director expressed, “OTT platforms can be generous financiers, but they also impose heavy obligations. Instead, let’s explore a more democratic approach to business by going back to our audience. To achieve this, it may be necessary for us to adjust our salaries by 30-40%, strive to produce films within a lower budget, and then I believe we will witness a substantial increase in box office earnings.

In his discussion, Vetrimaaran pointed out that streaming services tend to adopt a single strategy in film production, frequently mirroring current trends. Moreover, he noted that these platforms apply their own form of censorship by conducting sensitivity tests and imposing various limitations on movies, thereby restricting creative freedom in the process.

In addition, the director stated that over-the-top (OTT) platforms tend to limit films to stories that align with politically correct perspectives. This is because some scenes may be omitted to prevent potential offense towards particular religious groups or communities.

I had the pleasure of participating in a stimulating roundtable discussion orchestrated by The Hollywood Reporter, which was skillfully moderated by Anupama Chopra. Other esteemed filmmakers, including Zoya Akhtar, Karan Johar, Pa Ranjith, and Mahesh Narayanan, were also part of this insightful conversation.

In more recent updates, Vetrimaaran has been drawing attention following Jr NTR’s public statement about wanting to collaborate with him, going so far as to name Vetrimaaran his preferred director in Tamil cinema. During a promotional event for his movie Devara in Chennai, Jr NTR was asked if he might appear in a direct Tamil film, to which he hinted at the possibility.

Responding to this, the actor openly expressed his enthusiasm for working with Vetrimaaran. He mentioned that he’s keen on producing the movie in Tamil, followed by a Telugu dubbed version.

When asked to comment, Vetrimaaran confirmed that he had already narrated a story to Jr NTR. Additionally, the director is set to release his film Viduthalai Part 2, starring Soori and Vijay Sethupathi, on December 20, 2024.

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2024-09-24 18:22