February 7th, 2009
Things aren’t all that hunky dory for Nayanthara as her recent tiff with producer-director Lingusamy has reached a flash point.The Tamil Film Producers Council (TFPC) and South Indian Artists Association (SIAA known as Nadigar Sangam) has jointly issued a statement asking producers to refrain from working with the actress.
They say that this extreme step was taken as Nayanthara refused to return the advance amount she had received for Lingusamy’s Paiyya.
A fuming Nayanthara speaking to media from Hyderabad where she is shooting for her Telugu film with NTR, said: “This is injustice, as I never told Lingusamy that I am opting out of the film. I had received an amount of Rs 20 Lakhs from him as advance for Paiyya and given dates from September 2008”.
Nayanthara banned by TFPC and Nadigar Sangam!
Added Nayan: “I waited patiently and he went on changing dates. I did not sign up any film that came to me during this time, as I was committed to his project and there by incurred losses to the tune of few Crores. And finally by mid-December he asked me to come for Photo-shoot and the day before the shoot, he says that I should bring down by salary which was agreed mutually in the contract”
In a male dominated industry, Nayan is fighting a lone battle for survival. Ask anyone actor or production house who have worked with her and they are willing to vouch for her professionalism and commitment to the project. Perhaps she is the only actress in tinsel town who has the guts and grit to fight back for her rights.
Some of the heroes in Kollywood have do not pay back advance taken in crores, and say that they will adjust in the next film! So what’s wrong in Nayanthara refusing to pay back her advance after wasting three months of her precious time sitting at home waiting for the film to start!
Says Nayanthara: “Who is Lingusamy to decide my compensation for wasting my time while I waited for the project to get rolling?” (Lingu has waived Rs 5 Lakhs out of Rs 20 Lakhs paid as advance)
Nayan is honest and upfront about the way she feels: “I never said that I will not work for the film. And then why should I pay back the amount? I asked Nadigar Sangam for help to sort out this matter and now they have also turned against me. Tell me, how many actors have taken an advance and have paid back if the project doesn’t take place? In my case, I am targeted because I am an actress. It is not the 15 Lakhs that matters to me, but the manner in which I was treated that irks me”.
