Random Thoughts

On Dasavatharam's success hinges the Rs 700-crore project of Ascar V Ravichandaran For Ascar V Ravichandran, Tamil film Dasavatharam starring Kamal Haasan in 10 unique roles was a huge leap of faith. At Rs 60 crore, it ranks amongst the most expensive films ever produced in India.

Ravichandran's next film will be made at a cost of Rs 600-700 crore – enough to bankroll ten Bollywood blockbusters and a decent Hollywood flick. He has roped in action star Jackie Chan to play the lead.

Ravichandran is considered by many the most risk-taking producer in the Tamil film industry. He started as a small time distributor in Vellore in the early 1980s. Ravichandran was once a major distributor of Hollywood films in Tamil Nadu. He was the pioneer in popularising Jackie Chan movies in the state.

In the mid-1990s, he took over the distribution of Kathalukku Mariyathai for entire Tamil Nadu. It turned out to be the biggest blockbuster that year. Ravichandran never looked back after that . In 2006, he distributed and supported several films that were facing financial problems and all of them did well.

Ravichandran's latest plans are ambitious. Many producers in the Indian film industry have gone down real fast in the whimsical world of movie making.

But that will depend crucially on Dasavatharam's success. It is clearly a Kamal movie. When the movie finally made it to the screens, Kamal managed to break the record of his hero, Sivaji Ganesan, who had given a nine-role stunner in 1964 in the movie Navarathiri.

On release day, the movie was shown at 22 centres totalling 70 shows in Chennai, alone breaking the record set by Rajinikanth's Shivaji: The Boss released in 2007 in 17 centres. Including the suburbs there will be 120 shows every day with 700 prints. The Hindi version will have 400 prints.

So, is the cash flowing in? Initial reviews in newspapers were hardly generous. For the first few days, Chennai's movie circles were buzzing with rumours that Dasavatharam had bombed. In fact, some even said that Ravichandran himself had blocked three days show tickets in some theatres in Chennai to create an illusion of demand.

Ravichandran rubbishes these rumours and says the first week shows helped him recover Rs 50 crore, and he sure would be laughing his way to bank when the movie finally does its last act. "Is it even possible to do that? Why would I make such an expensive movie if I was going to buy the tickets myself," he quips .

Ravichandran believes that Dasavatharam will gross nothing less than Rs 200-300 crore in domestic and international exhibitions. He is, in fact, banking on this to part-fund his dream project of making a movie with Jackie Chan. He had made Dasavatharam with some support from banks. He hopes the same banks will stand by him for his next venture, too.