Sanal Kumar Sasidharan released the movie Vazhakku for free on Vimeo after feud with Tovino Thomas.
Malayalam filmmaker Sanal Kumar Sasidharan and actor-producer Tovino Thomas have got into an ugly public spat regarding the release of their film Vazhakku. Sanal accused Tovino of interfering with the film's release, fearing it would impact his career.
In response, Sanal released the movie for free on Vimeo after Tovino denied the allegations. After Sanal's accusations, Tovino took to social media and expained his side of story. It started when Sanal posted a long message in Malayalam on his Facebook. In it, he claimed that Tovino was interfering with the film's release in theaters and on OTT platforms because he was worried it would harm his career. Sanal said that even though the film was shot in 2020 and post-production was finished in 2021, it still hasn't been released because of the actor.
The note reads, “Tovino was a rising superstar during the production of Vazhakku. If it had come out that day, the enmity against me would have turned against him. The path to growth to superstar might have been a short one.” On Sunday, Tovino went live on Instagram with Sanal's cousin and co-producer of Vazhakku, Girish Chandran. During the video, Tovino said he chose to produce the film as a sign of respect for the director's talent. He also mentioned that he invested ₹27 lakh in the film's production without receiving any returns.
Tovino mentioned that it was Sanal, not him, who obstructed the film's release. He mentioned proposing participation in the Mumbai Film Festival (MAMI), but Sanal rejected it, fearing potential online leaks. Tovino also claimed Sanal was unwilling to relinquish creative control, a common practice when selling to OTT platforms. Additionally, Tovino cited a stalking case filed against Sanal in 2022, alleging that it led to his arrest and dissuaded many OTT platforms from getting involved.
Sanal didn't just respond to Tovino's claims with another lengthy Facebook post, he surprised everyone by uploading Vazhakku to Vimeo and sharing the link for free. Alongside the link, he wrote, "Cinema should be seen by the audience. For those interested in watching, here's Vazhakku/The Quarrel. Now you'll understand why the movie hasn't been released."
“Tovino is very concerned about my mental state in live. Thank you. If he is fond of cinema, what Tovino really needs to do is to try to release the film. If no OTT platforms are ready, release it on YouTube,” he wrote,
The director also stated that it was not Girish, but his friend who invested money in the film. Additionally, he claimed that the film was screened at MAMI in 2023. Sanal countered by pointing out that he was arrested in 2022, while the film had been completed in 2021, raising questions about the delay in its release.
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