Gautham Menon responds to allegations on Naragasooran dues: 'The misunderstanding has been sorted with Karthick'

Director Karthick Naren's caustic response to Gautham Menon over the financial dues for Naragasooran has opened a can of worms. Arvind Swami, Siddharth Rao, co-producer of ace filmmaker Selvaraghavan's long-pending film Nenjam Marappathillai, and cinematographer Santhana Krishnan — who worked in Dhruva Natchathiram — rallied in support of Karthick Naren yesterday and hurled accusations on Gautham Menon by sharing their bitter experiences.

Posting a subtle riposte to Gautham's tweet about 'growing a pair instead of whining about passion getting butchered,' Arvind Swami tweeted: "Yes we all can grow a few things, a pair of eyes that sees what we do to others , a pair of ears to hear the truth, a conscience to tell us when we are wrong and a pair of whatever to accept our mistakes and apologise...instead we grow our list of commitments that we can’t keep" [sic].

While Siddharth Rao blamed Gautham Menon for the delay in Nenjam Marappathillai release, DOP Santhana Krishnan, son of veteran lensman Ravi K Chandran, said, "I would like to add that I also went through the same problem with the production house. It’s amazing how young filmmaker are always taken for a ride" [sic].

Gautham Menon and Karthick Naren.

Clearing the air, Gautham Menon, in the wee hours of Thursday morning, released a detailed statement and addressed all the allegations of his colleagues. Menon pointed out that the business of Naragasooran is not big enough to divert funds to his ongoing spy thriller Dhruva Natchathiram, which is seven times bigger.

Menon's statement read:

"Just when lots of positive movement was happening on Naragasooran, a tweet from my director Karthick Naren upset me and even though good sense prevailed through most of the day, lots of calls from the media upset me and I tweeted a reply. In retrospect I feel I shouldn't have. I apologize to Karthick for that it was more a reaction to the phone calls, the unnecessary attention to the film, the presumption that something was wrong and the setback to a lot of work that was happening to release the film soon. Through the production of Naragasooran, I have never interfered or even discussed the script with Karthick and have only insisted with my team and the investors who came on board to give him what he wanted. He was given a free hand. We brought in the actors he wanted at very high costs and even the trailers and teasers and posters were all his. Even recently Karthick produced the background score of this film in Macedonia and we made it happen. We've spent a lot on the film through investors I brought on board to whom and for which I'm liable and the business is not big enough to divert funds to another film like Dhruva Natchathiram which is 7 times bigger in size and is produced by somebody else."

Gautham said Karthick's angst is the result of miscommunication by vested interests. "I've not asked for 50 percent share of the profit on Naragasooran and I know I have no share on the film. If Karthick wants me out of the film I should only be happy because the liability on the film is then not mine. However, I understand that Karthick's angst and rant is coming from some miscommunication by vested interests and a non-understanding of how the market works. Nobody can stop the release of a film. And we haven't made films to be kept on the shelf," he said.

Menon revealed that the payment due for Arvind Swami would be settled soon and the team will announce the release date. He also said that the misunderstanding with Karthick is sorted out.

"What issues Naragasooran has seen is nothing that no other film in the recent days hasn't seen. Every other producer goes through this. And when a team does good work there will be somebody trying to bring the team down. That's all this is. We have a plan for the completion of work and release of the film. In a few days, all issues will be sorted. And we've never held back Karthick from beginning work on his next film. He's free to do so and he has begun work too. Every film has to see a good release and we didn't want the film to come out with only a week's window that was available earlier. Arvind Swamy, who's refused to dub till his entire payment is made, will dub once we do the needful very soon and then it's only a release date issue as every other aspect of filming and post-production is done. This misunderstanding has been sorted out between Karthick and I and we are working towards making this film see the light of day or the darkness of a movie hall very soon. Thank You."

Updates on Vikram's Dhruva Natchathiram, Dhanush's Enai Nokki Paayum Thota and Selvaraghavan-SJ Suryah's Nenjam Marappathillai.

Menon said Dhruva Natchathiram and Enai Nokki Paayum Thota would be released this year. He also said both movies are being produced by somebody else and that he was a namesake producer in Nenjam Marappathillai upon the insistence of producer Madan.

"Both Dhruva Natchathiram and Enai Noki Paayum Thotta have a journey and we filmed only when the actors gave us dates. We've filmed 70 days only on Dhruva Natchathiram and 45 days so far on Enai Nokki Paayum Thota. Both are big films with big stars and will release this year very shortly. Dhruva Natchathiram has some excessive shoot schedules and lots of action and wasn't a film that could be completed in a short period. Both the films are produced by somebody else. There is no issue on both these films but for dates being shared between other films," said Menon.

Menon also made clear that he is neither a producer nor a shareholder of Nenjam Marappathillai. "I'm also in no way involved with Director Selvaraghavan's Nenjam Marapathillai but for listening to the idea and pointing out the script and the film to escape artiste Madan. I'm not producer, neither am I a shareholder. Madan wanted my name on the posters and the film but I'm not on it anymore. It was my initiative, that's all it was and that didn't deserve a name on the poster. I respect Selva as a creator and filmmaker and this film too, which is looking very good, will release very soon," he said.