‘Vazhakku’ Director Sanal Kumar Sasidharan Releases The Film Online After Tovino Thomas’ Ugly Verbal Spat On Social Media
In a heated argument between Vazhakku director Sanal Kumar Sasidharan and actor Tovino Thomas, verbal ugly spat took an unexpected turn. Later Sasidharan released the entire film on Facebook. Read on.
Kochi: A disagreement has erupted between Malayalam director Sanal Kumar Sasidharan and actor-producer Tovino Thomas regarding the release of their film “Vazhakku.” Sasidharan accused Thomas of blocking the movie’s release in theaters and on streaming platforms, fearing it might damage his public image. In response, and after Thomas refuted the claims, Sasidharan made the controversial decision to release “Vazhakku” for free on Vimeo. Read on.
Amid Dispute with Sasidharan, Tovino’s Film Released On Social Media
The disagreement between actor Tovino Thomas and director Sanal Kumar Sasidharan began with a public statement by Sanal. He accused Tovino of interfering with the film’s release in both theaters and on streaming platforms. Sanal claimed that Tovino’s concerns about the movie’s impact on his career were delaying the release, even though filming had finished in 2020 and post-production was completed in 2021.
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In the descriptive passage posted by director Sasidharan, a portion of the script read, “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 (sic).”
Tovino Thomas’ Response
During a recent Instagram live with Sanal’s cousin and co-producer Girish Chandran, Tovino clarified his involvement in “Vazhakku.” He explained that his decision to produce the film stemmed from his admiration for Sanal’s filmmaking abilities. Tovino further revealed that he financially contributed ₹27 lakh to the project without any profit-sharing agreement.
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Thomas (@tovinothomas)
Tovino contested Sanal’s accusations, arguing that the director himself was hindering the film’s release. He claimed he suggested submitting the film to the Mumbai Film Festival (MAMI) but Sanal refused, fearing online leaks. Additionally, Tovino said Sanal was unwilling to relinquish creative control, a requirement for OTT platforms. He further explained that a stalking case filed against Sanal in 2022, which led to his arrest, discouraged many OTT platforms from getting involved with the film.
In a surprising move, director Sanal Kumar Sasidharan bypassed the usual release channels and uploaded his film “Vazhakku” for free on Vimeo. This came after a public dispute with the film’s lead actor Tovino Thomas. Sasidharan accompanied the upload with a message emphasizing that films are meant to be seen and that viewers would now understand the reason behind the release delay.
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the director of the film, disputed claims about the film’s financing and release. He clarified that a friend, not Girish, provided funding. Additionally, he asserted that the film was indeed screened at MAMI in 2023, contradicting suggestions of a delay. Sasidharan further pointed out that his arrest in 2022 happened after the film’s completion in 2021. He challenged Tovino Thomas’s concern about his mental state, arguing that a true passion for cinema would involve finding a way to release the film, even if it meant using YouTube if OTT platforms weren’t interested.
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