No Telugu release for Kabali?

The Telugu release of Kabali is still marred by controversies allegedly stirred up by the Telugu Distribution Council, which has now denied harassing anybody.

There were allegations that the council asked all the local distributors to stop payment to Praveen Varma and K.P. Chowdhary, who bought the movie’s Telugu distribution rights.

Council secretary Veeru Naidu clarified that the accusations were baseless. “We never harass anyone, especially our distributors. Everyone knows that Lakshmi Ganapathi Films incurred huge loss from Rajinikanth’s earlier film Kochadaiiyaan and we informed that to all who tried to buy the rights of Kabali,” says Naidu.

“We asked Praveen and Chowdhary to ask the producer to deposit 40 per cent of the loss incurred by Lakshmi Ganapathi Films. We want to speak to Rajinikanth and settle the issue after he is back from Virginia,” says Naidu, denying that they asked the local distributors to not pay the money. “We never told anything as such that to the local distributors. Our only concern is Lakshmi Ganapathi Films, who is now unable to comeback due to such a huge loss,” he says. The only possible solution to this issue is that the present distributors pressurise the Tamil producer.

“We are ready to have a closed door meeting with Praveen and Chowdhary to solve the issue,” says Naidu. Praveen and Chowdhary, say nothing is in their hands.

“We contacted the Tamil producer on Wednesday too, but he says that he is not concerned. So, it’s not in our hands and it should be dealt directly by the earlier producer and distributors,” says Chowdhary. “A day before the screening, we have to get the remaining pay. Only then can we release the cube (digital format of the film),” he adds.

With the local distributors yet to pay the money, Chowdhary and Praveen have decided not to give the key number to download the cube.  Now, the Telugu release of the film is uncertain.