Telugu film-makers in jitters over Tamil films

The success of every Tamil film re-made or dubbed in Telugu for screening in Andhra Pradesh has caused serious concern in the Telugu film industry and secret plans are afoot to seek imposition of constraints on such films.

A few years ago the Tamil version of ''Vijayanthi, IPS" and "Idu Thanda Police" (originally made in Telugu) became big hits in Tamil Nadu setting off tremors in the Tamil film industry.

This is what is happening now in reverse in the Telugu film industry. Tamil films dubbed or re-made in Telugu are increasingly welcomed in Andhra Pradesh. They do very well commercially as well.

What triggered fears in the Telugu film industry are Rajinikanth's "Chandramukhi" which is a runaway hit in both Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh. Telugu superstar Chiranjivi's mega film "Tagore" and "Chandramukhi" dubbed in Telugu were released in Andhra Pradesh at the same time. "Chandramukhi" in Telugu topped in box-office collections as the original Tamil version did in Tamil Nadu. Chiranjivi's "Tagore" came only second.

Subsequently, "Kaadal" which was dubbed in Telugu and named "Premisthe", was a super-hit in Andhra Pradesh. "Gajini" was also dubbed in Telugu and it saw jubilee celebrations in the theatres where it was released in Andhra Pradesh. Then followed "Pulikesi", the Telugu version of comedian Vadivelu-starrer "Imsai Aran 23am Pulikesi", produced by Shankar, and Vishal-starrer "Thimiru" ("Pogaru" in Telugu), both of which are running to full houses in AP.

The success of all these films has become a cause for worry in Telugu film industry circles. The fear is that if this is allowed to continue, crores and crores of rupees will get diverted from Andhra Pradesh to the Tamil film industry thereby driving Telugu film-makers out of business leading eventually to the collapse of the Telugu film industry itself.

In the next one month's time, director Shankar's "Veyil" is releasing. Work on dubbing this film in Telugu has already commenced. In April next, Rajinikanth-starrer "Sivaji", directed by Shankar, is expected to be released.

All this made the Telugu film industry leaders to sit up and think. Recently they held a secret conclave to take stock of the situation and draw up an action plan seeking to put constraints on Tamil films. After serious deliberations, the consensus that emerged was that screening of dubbed films in AP should be limited to ten or 12 prints and an appeal should be made to the AP State Government to hike the taxes on such films. They believe these measures would help curb the 'craze" for Tamil films re-made or dubbed in Telugu.