Deepak Jayakumar, nephew of the iconic chief minister of Tamil Nadu J.Jayalalithaa has warned Gautham Vasudev Menon of dire consequences if his recently announced recently web series project titled Queen is about his aunt Jaya. He says, "If any movie or web-series is being pictured about my aunty late Ms J.Jayalaithaa without our family’s permission, it would be dealt with very seriously."
After J.Jayalalithaa’s demise, many filmmakers announced that they were making biopics on the late Chief Minister and some of them are in the pipeline. Recently, there was an official announcement from ace filmmaker Gautham Vasudev Menon that a web series titled Queen will be streamed on a private OTT platform. The press release did not say that Queen is a biopic of J. Jayalalithaa and it just stated that Queen narrates the story of a political icon who ruled with benevolence as well as with an iron hand. Ramya Krishnan is set to play the role of a prominent politician in this drama.
The Tamil web series to be released in Hindi, Telugu and Bengali was credited to Gautham Vasudev Menon and Prasath Murugesan for direction and Reshma Ghatala for the script. The first look poster featured Ramya Krishnan seemingly resembling Jayalalithaa, in a white saree with a black and red border.
After getting to know of the press release and poster from media, Deepak Jayakumar, had warned Gautham. Speaking to DC, Deepak says, “I came to know from the media that director Gautham Vasudev Menon is planning to make a web-series about a political icon titled Queen and Ramya Krishnan is playing the lead role. I am not sure about who Gautham Vasudev Menon is referring as political icon in his series. Amma (Jayalalithaa) is a political personality and her public life is a known history. I have no objection if he has portrayed her political life. However, no one has any right to portray her private life without taking proper consent from me and my sister Deepa. If he has represented anything personal about my aunt, I would not allow this and would file defamation case in the event of Queen going ahead without our permission. I am not able to reach Gautham Menon and hope to hear from him soon.”
He also stated that director Vijay has met him and has narrated to him about his Jayalalithaa biopic project Thalaivi. “He took proper permission from me and has taken a ‘No-objection certificate’ to start the project. He has assured to portray the real facts in the movie without defaming my aunty in any way.”
One may recall the recent Madras high court’s observation that the state government should recognise J Deepa and J Deepak, niece and nephew of former chief minister late J.Jayalalithaa as class two legal heirs of Jayalalithaa. Gautham Menon was not available for comment.
