Doctorate for Actor Simbu aka STR - A Flashback

Actor Simbu aka Silambarasan aka STR ( son of T Rajinder , veteran film maker) joined the prestigious list of Kollywood actors starting from MGR onwards to R Madhavan and Tamannah who recieved doctorates. `Superstar' Rajinikanth is one actor who has shunned the `honor' . The fact that STR is acting in three films produced by Dr Ishari Ganesh, the owner of Vels University who is  conferring the title on him should not be held against him. The reason stated  by  Vels University statement is "  “This is acknowledgement to Silambarasan talent and contribution to cinema.". He also added that Silambarasan Thesingu Rajendar ( STR) being part of Vels Film International ongoing projects has nothing to do with the doctorate. ( Is the Doctorate of Ishari Ganesh from his own University ?). R Madhavan who received his D Litt from Kolhapur University said at the function , " When actors like us get honoured with doctorates I wish the image of showbiz personalities as intellectually challenged frivolous dimwits would end. To a large extent, we are ourselves responsible for not being taken seriously. Some of us constantly stress and project the glamorous side of our lives. As though being an actor is fun and games. In reality, there are so many actors and films that have influenced the lives of millions, "

During my stint as freelance journalist, I  decided to dig into the "Doctorate' given to MGR. It was in mid seventies. My pal TSV Hari joined me in this `digging'. We traced the man who was responsible to a house in Triplicane. He was one Krishna . We posed as agents who can get `clients'.. He gave us details of the fees and that includes the thesis that had to be given. We took the framed photos of him with Karunanidhi - MGR to many other to a nearby studio and got it copied. We told him it was for our brochure to canvass clients.

The story- a joint byline of mine and Hari appeared in Onlooker magazine as an inset mention on cover. There was big hullabaloo about it. The then CM Karunanidhi was having a doctorate from Annamalai University . This university was widely seen as giving degrees through correspondence courses. He was caught in the same net laid out by Krishna . Karunanidhi laughed it away as an enthusiastic DMK worker's handiwork. MGR however after becoming CM got his `legitimate' Doctorate from  University of Madras.

I was told by Krishna that his Doctorate biz flourished after Kannada Superstar Rajkumar got one and added to his name.. It was from Mysore University . He was the first South Indian actor to get this.. Sivaji Ganesan got his in1986 from Annamalai University.. Then most of the doctorates came from institutions abroad. Chinni Jayanth got it from Open International University of Alternate Medicine. Chiyan Vikram  became our first Tamil actor to have received an honorary doctorate from a Foreign University. He was accredited the award by the Universita Popolare Degli Studi Milano, Italy in 2011.

Things changed when private colleges turned into Universities under Deemed University Act and owners became Chancellor ( a post held by Governor for Government Universities). and their children were VC's.. Sathyabhama University of the famous Jeppiar ( former bodyguard of MGR who later fell out with AMMA) and AC Shanmugham , a businessman who runs Dr MGR University competed to confer doctorates on Tamil film Stars. Jeppiar said that his University would give 100 doctorates to film people. Except for the function conferring the honor on Kamal Haasan by Sathyabhama and on Vijay by Dr MGR University , other functions were not given much publicity in media. Prabhu- Nassar, Vivek,  Vijaykanth were among those who got it.

Kamal after floating his own political party was conferred a honorary doctorate by Odisha's Centurion University of Technology and Management  and received it from Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik. Late Dr J Jayalalithaa had four  doctorates conferred on her by various Tamil Nadu State run Universities and one from Dr MGR University. Karunanidhi  got three from State run University.

After `Baahubali' success,  Actress Tamannah Bhatia! received her doctorate for "Recognising her contribution to South cinema, the Confederation of International Accreditation Commission (CIAC), an International NGO, has conferred Tamannah with an Honorary Doctorate". Going by this yardstick, STR who has been giving duds in a row for years and battling charges of unprofessionalism, finally got his first Box office big time in ` Maanaadu' and so he fits the bill to get the doctorate.

Simbhu's achievement is that he started out as, 

Vels Film International and Master Chef producers join hands - A solo Rajinikanth Diwali feast

 Vels Film International, leading film production house of Tamil films  is said to invested big money in the Innovative Film Academy , who are producers of Master Chef in Tamil with Vijay Sethupathi and Tammannah in Telugu  ( both  on Sun TV channels) and are producers of Kannada magnum opus film  Vikrant Rona starring Kiccha  Sudeep. ,  The Academy located  in outskirts of Bengaluru. Dr Ishari   Ganesh is expected to add the Academy to his Vels Group of educational institutions. Apart from this the campus is to be developed into a Film City equipped with latest equipment's. An Australian team is to set up an amusement theme park that will attract film lovers.

Vels Film International owned by Dr Ishari Ganesh is currently producing a film with Silambarasan and directed by Gautham Menon and move on to the next film Corona Kumar again with same hero to be directed by Gokul. The production company is also said to be funding education of many children whose parents are working in film industry and members of trade body FEFSI.

The Academy,  according to many, can become an alternative location to film makers who have only Ramoji Film City in Hyderabad. Travelling time and connectivity to Bengaluru from Kerala - Tamil Nadu is excellent and climatic conditions very conducive as there is no extreme summer in the Garden city.

At the time of writing, Rajinikanth's Annatthe is likely to have a solo release for Diwali. STR's Maanaadu has pulled out citing lack of adequate screens and shifted to November end. Visha;'s Enemy the other release too has got only 160 screens/ This is not sufficient for a distributor to recover the investment. In all probability , it may be postponed. Tollywood’s leading distribution house- Asian Infra Estates LLP has obtained Telugu and Tamil rights of the movie for Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. Narayandas Narang and Suresh Babu are bringing the film to Telugu and Tamil audiences in Telugu states. Since the film is loaded with brother-sister sentiment, the makers have opted for title of Peddanna. 

Decks cleared for Indian 2 restart as Dr Ishari Ganesh plays mediator with DMK backup

 

Dr Ishari Ganesh ( Vels University owner and film Producer) along with  DMK's support worked in removing the ban on comedian Vadivelu - Simbu  and restart of Indian 2.   When FEFSI decided to ignore Film Producer's call for boycott of Simbu and decided to send unit hands for shooting, it was obvious that it cannot be pulled off without  DMK nod. The only VIP to attend the marriage of director Shnakar's daughter marriage ( conducted under Covid protocol)  was TN CM M K Stalin.  

 Dr. Ganesh had been a well wisher of  Vadivelu and trying to bring the actor back  by lifting the industry ban on him. Vadivelu's  plunge into politics during the 2011 poll by siding with DMK to hit out at  his neighbour Vijaykanth  proved costly. DMK lost and Vadivelu became a untouchable. Simultaneously, a comedian with his own brand of comic antics which was interpreted as social messages rose. Vadivelu sat at home  and was battling a fraud pulled on him by his  pal - actor who swindled him of a good chunk of wealth.

A month after Stalin took over as CM, Vadivelu turned up to give a cheque to CM relief fund for Corona victims. It was then in the air that comedian would start seeing the end of his troubles. It has finally happened.  Lyca who is producer of the film 24 am Pulikesi and  S Pictures ( owned by director) who produces the film on a first copy basis agreed to withdraw the complaint. Vadivelu is said to have refused to wear costumes suggested by the costume designer hired by the company and did not turn up for weeks together with the producer paying for the cost and floor rent.

Dr Ishari Ganesh was first approached by Shankar to produce  Robot 2.0 . Lyca came on board. It was Lyca- Shankar combo film 2.0 that still rated the costliest film produced in India and the biggest grosser in box office. Next was Indian 2. Dr Ishari Ganesh was asked by Shankar to mediate with Lyca and get the Indian 2 and 24 am Pulikesi off his back.

Reason according to sources was that it looked like the rest 20 % of the shoot would be under Court supervision and after completion, the earlier accounts would be audited. As a Court monitored audit would not favour  Lyca or Shankar ( who is doing it on a first copy basis) as  film production expenditure are rarely on board.

Lyca Subhaskaran has around Rs 170 crores stuck in the film Indian 2.  Lyca moves the court and also various trade bodies in  Telegu- Hindi these languages, saying Shnakar should not be allowed to work without  finishing Indian 2. The court appoints a arbitator to bring out a truce.  The common factor in Vadivelu- Shankar- Indian 2 is Lyca Subaskaran Allirajah.

Dr Ganesh is said to have arranged a straight heart to heart talk between Subaskaran and Vadivelu and another with Shankar. Vadivelu would two films for Lyca as compensation and finish Pulikesi sequel. If the sequel was dropped , then Vadivelu would pay Rs 4 cr taken as advance ( to be adjusted from his payments for two films)

Shankar was told of Vadivelu deal and he is said to have backed off from completing it as there was bad blood between both parties and cannot be patched up. Coming to Indian 2, Shankar said that unconditionally he would complete the film on a toned down budget and instead wanted him relieved from all court and trade body cases. Subaskaran agreed to it. The arbitataor would be given in writing the setellement of dispute. It would be communicated to the High Court. In turn the verdict would be announced.

In Simbu's case, Lingusamy ( director- producer), Murali Ramaswamy ( Council President and DMK hard core man ), a third  Alwyn Vijay ,a friend of Ramaswamy were all open to resolving the issue.  The fourth person is Micheal Rayappan , an ex  AIADMK MLA from Tirunelveli. He is one who says that Simbu has to pay him Rs 5 cr for the wastage incurred due to the actor's unprofessionalism.

The first three have been cleared by Dr Ishari Ganesh  as he is producer of a film with Simbu and Gautham Menon as director  and would probably be adjusted against the payment. Rayappan would be monetarily compensated by giving him distributorship of the Simbu film for Tirunelveli .