Vaaranam Aayiram: Sun TV and DMK clash, again

Meher Khanna - Televisionpoint.com | Chennai

Vaaranam Aayiram Still

Vaaranam Aayiram, the Tamil film that hit the screens few days ago, explores the deep affection that a father and son share at every stage of life. Top actor Suriya plays the doting son, who makes it a point to remember his 'daddy' at regular intervals in the three-hour film. He strives to make his father proud of him, be it in winning his ladylove's hand or becoming a major in the army.

Offscreen, the movie is symbolic of how filial bonds can have a bearing on business and political interests. Industry observers say, the movie only underscores the hardening competition between Marans led Sun TV Network and Karunanidhi's family to capture a pie of the entertainment industry in Tamil Nadu.

For Vaaranam Aayiram, which means 'strength of a thousand elephants', also marks the foray of Karunanidhi's grandson Dayanidhi Azhagiri's into Tamil cinema. Son of MK Azhagiri, Dayanidhi bought the theatre rights of the movie for Rs 18 crore through his recently-formed venture Cloud Nine movies. This after Sun TV made a successful debut in films by acquiring worldwide rights of Kadhalil Vizhundhen.

The development marks another chapter in the tussle between the Marans and the first family of Tamil Nadu. The common thread running through all the flash points increasingly is a competing business interests.

The chief minister's family is entering almost every space that Sun Network has a presence. What started with a competing TV channel, was followed by an MSO and has got extended to the silver screen.

While Dayanidhi Azhagiri could not be reached for comment, an executive from Sun Network said it was a family issue and could not speak about it. However, industry observers are quite divided over the friction between the two camps.

A film critic said, "It looks like a tit for tat. Sun is not promoting Vaaranam Aayiram or showing even a frame of the film. This is because they had a problem releasing their movie Kadhalil Vizhundhen in Madurai, where Azhagiri has a stronghold."

Another industry executive said, "Sun TV is ready to promote the movie but has not got a single clip or an ad from the other side." The development is seen as an extension of the power struggle between the first family of the DMK and Marans, which blasted off last May.

An opinion poll published in Kalanidhi Maran-owned Tamil daily Dinakaran, which gave low popularity ratings to Karunanidhi's elder son MK Azhagiri, sparked off the row between the families. What followed was an attack on Sun TV and Dinakaran offices in Madurai, resulting in the death of three employees.

The DMK leadership then eased out Dayanidhi Maran, younger brother of Kalanidhi Maran, from the Union Cabinet as Union IT and communications minister. It was seen as a mere political move by M Karunanidhi and his family to get the better of the Marans.

The subsequent developments, keeping out Sun TV from covering political events on Karunanidhi, DMK launching a Tamil channel Kalaignar TV of its own and Azhagiri launching a MSO, Royal Cable Vision, to take on Maran-controlled Sumangali Cable Vision, have all lent a business dimension to the equation.

In the interim, Tamil Nadu government launched a MSO called Arasu Cable TV Corporation and MK Stalin's son Udhayanidhi Stalin launched his Tamil film through Red Giant movies.