Tearing into certain top actors’ habit of skipping movie promotions, Tamil film financier and distributor Tiruppur Subramaniam recently urged producers not to let such practices continue without repercussions. He specifically named Ajith Kumar and Nayanthara for consistently following this practice and called out their purported double standards, pointing out that they promote projects in which they have a stake, such as Ajith’s racing team and the films bankrolled by Nayanthara’s home production.

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As the conversation unfolded, Subramaniam noted that Ajith finally decided to venture into movie production after realising that working producers could no longer afford the salary he demanded. “Ajith waited for 1.5 years, seeing if he could get the same salary he demanded for his last movie. Many producers tried to discuss it with him, asking him to reduce his salary. But he didn’t. No producer wants to take such a risk. With salaries that high… there’s no business today. In today’s market, we can’t offer that salary,” he pointed out during an appearance on the YouTube channel Touring Talkies.

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Subramaniam continued, “It’s not because Ajith is a lesser star, but the market situation is such that producers can’t afford to pay the hero so much. However, he did not reduce his salary. Now he’s producing his own movie (DareDevil). This is the situation. If you are a highly paid actor who won’t lower your salary, you will have no option but to produce your own movies. There are no producers left. If we can’t make movies even with stars like Vijay and Ajith, while paying them the salary they ask for, imagine the situation for producers. Unfortunately, stars will work for free in their own productions but won’t agree to a percentage (profit-sharing model) with others.”

For the unversed, Ajith Kumar’s upcoming film DareDevil, helmed by Adhik Ravichandran, is bankrolled by the Tamil superstar’s wife, Shalini, under the banner of Brave Hearts Production.

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Tiruppur Subramaniam calls out Ajith and Nayanthara

Subramaniam further criticised actors like Ajith and Nayanthara for skipping movie promotions. “Firstly, Ajith doesn’t even go for movie promotions. But when it comes to a race, he goes. Now, he is even promoting a cold drink (Campa Energy). See, top actors worldwide go for film promotions. Hindi and Telugu actors also do.”

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He continued, “Only in Tamil Nadu do stars like Ajith and Nayanthara not partake in movie promotions. Producers accept this because it’s in the contract that they sign with the stars. You are spending money to make a movie. You must tell them they have to come. Nayanthara goes for promotions for her own movies, right? Whether it’s Nayanthara or Ajith, if they don’t come for promotions, producers should put their foot down and say they won’t make movies with them in Tamil anymore.”