'Vaalu' also caught in the title war in Kollywood

Simbu-Hansika starrer ‘Vaalu’ is the latest to join the ‘title war’ that has been raging in Kollywood spreading displeasure among producers.

Nick Arts Chankravarthy is the producer of ‘Vaalu’. Another producer Ilavarasan has given the same title to his film starring Akil and Saranya Nag. The director of this venture, Deivasikhamani, claims they were the first to register the title ‘Vaalu’. But Nick Arts Chakravathy has given the same title to his production featuring Simbu and Hansika. Deivasikhamani has lodged a complaint with the Producers Sangam.

It is stated on behalf of Nick Arts that the general council meeting of the Producers Sangam held in January last decided that the Nick Arts hold the right to the title ‘Vaalu’ for the period from April 2012 to April 2013. They have a letter to this effect from the Sangam. What more proof is needed than this, Nick Arts sources ask.

Vijay’s ‘Thandavam’ with Vikram and Anushka in the lead has also been caught in the legal wrangle over the title. The film has already been completed and its audio was launched recently.

Earlier, Vishal’s ‘Samaran’ has been changed as ‘Samar’ after it was known that Seeman had registered this title. But a film titled ‘Samar’ has already been in production and the makers have gone to court against the use of the title ‘Samar’ for any other film.

Similarly, director/producer A.R. Murugadoss’s ‘Thuppaki’ with Vijay in the lead has been fighting a legal battle over the title. The producer of ‘Kalla Thuppaki’ has sought court’s direction to cancel the title ‘Thuppaki’. Though the court’s decision is pending, Murugadoss has announced his plan to release the film soon.

The title of yet another film ‘Evanum Panakkaran’ has been re-titled ‘Evanum Pasakkaran’.

With the increasing number of such disputes, there is a clamour from the producers’ side for revamping the procedure for registering the titles.

Under the existing system, a title has to be registered with three bodies _ the Film Chamber, the Producers Sangam and Producers Guild. A registration fee of Rs.500 is charged for each title. Every month the three bodies scrutinize the list of titles registered with each of them and exchange the list between them to make sure that there is no duplication of the titles.

A senior producer is said to have suggested a way out. If a title is registered with any one of the three bodies, it should be immediately computerized to enable the two other bodies also to include the title in their registers. In this producer’s view, computerization is the best solution to the problem..

Another development is that the Directors Association has sent a letter to the Producers Sangam, the Film Chamber and the Producers Guild requesting that titles should be registered with the Directors Association also as it is directors who give titles.

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