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Gautham Vasudev Menon says ‘nobody’ in the film industry is supportive in time of need: ‘I sound cynical but it's true’

Jan 13, 2025 06:17 AM IST

In a recent interview, filmmaker-actor Gautham Vasudev Menon spoke of the challenges he faced in the film industry. 

Gautham Vasudev Menon’s struggles with releasing his Vikram-starrer Dhruva Natchathiram: Chapter One – Yuddha Kaandam is the stuff of lore. In a recent interview with Madan Gowri, the filmmaker-actor was candid about how ‘nobody’ in the film industry is supportive when someone is struggling. (Also Read: Nithya Menen calls film industry ‘inhumane’; recollects Mysskin being sensitive to period pain)

Gautham Vasudev Menon is juggling between direction and acting at this point in his career.
Gautham Vasudev Menon is juggling between direction and acting at this point in his career.

Gautham Vasudev Menon on the film industry

The interviewer asked Gautham to name one person from the film industry who has been there for him as a ‘helping hand’ and the director-actor replied in negative. When pointed out that it’s ‘sad’ he feels that way, Gautham said, “I don’t have anyone like that. That’s the truth, I’m not trying to make a statement here. But, when DN (Dhruva Natichathram, in 2017) did not release, nobody called, nobody even bothered to find out what’s happening. Nobody even knows the issue.”

Gautham stated that ‘even otherwise’ the film industry is not one to step up in time of need. “If a film goes well, nobody will be happy about it. I only sound cynical and negative but it’s the truth. Nobody cares. Very few people like Dhanu sir and Lingusamy…they’ve seen the film, they’ve tried to…they’ve got their own issues. I’ve shown the film to a few studios. When the studios check with the people here, they ask them to not take the film as it has issues, when it has none. I’m still surviving (due to the audience still wanting to watch the film), I won’t be able to take the hit.”

For the unversed, Dhruva Natchathiram is a film that remains unreleased since 2017. It stars Vikram, Ritu Varma, R Parthiban, Radhika Sarathkumar, Simran and Vinayakan. The film which was initially kickstarted with Suriya in 2013 has been in production hell due to financial constraints and the Covid-19 pandemic. Gautham has tried to release the film several times over the years.

Recent work

Gautham has dabbled in acting, too, and was last seen in the 2024 films Rathnam, Hit List, Hitler and Viduthalai 2. He will soon star in Varaaham, Bazooka and Thalapathy 69. He will debut in Malayalam soon as a director with Dominic and the Ladies' Purse, which stars Mammootty in the lead role. The film is releasing on January 23. His last directorial was the 2024 film Joshua Imai Pol Kaakha, which is setin the same universe as Dhruva Natchathiram.

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