'Puli' broke me, but Vijay’s salary doubled': PT Selvakumar’s painful revelation

Vijay's former manager and famous producer, PT Selvakumar, recently spoke openly about the challenges he faced in his life related to the film 'Puli'. Speaking at a public event, he said: “The Income Tax raid took place a day before the release of the film 'Puli'. This was not an ordinary matter; it was a planned conspiracy. The people who were with me conspired. So the news spread that the film would not be released. The humiliation and stress I faced at that time are indescribable. As a man with a family, I had invested 27 years of hard work in a single film and wanted to move forward with my dreams. But that hard work was ruined," he said.

Despite struggles, 'Puli' hit theatres

PT Selvakumar also mentioned that despite attempts to prevent the film from being released, he decided, "The film will be released no matter what. I will release it even if I have to sell my assets." Although the film eventually hit theaters, it proved to be another test for him. “When the film was released, negative reviews poured in. The story, the computer graphics, and the dialogues were all mocked by the fans. I saw the audience leaving the theatres. Shock, anxiety, tears—that's what I experienced. If it had been anyone else, they would have even attempted suicide," Selvakumar said bitterly.

Failure distanced him from Vijay

After the film's failure, he openly shared the distance that had developed between him and Vijay. "They didn't let me speak with Vijay for five or six days. However, the failure of that film did not affect Vijay's growth. On the contrary, his salary doubled. Vijay, who had been paid 25 crores for 'Puli', was later signed by producer Thanu for a salary of 45 crores. But they singled me out as a traitor and a failure," he said with pain.

Selvakumar says his hard work was destroyed

PT Selvakumar added, “Many secrets cannot be revealed. But my hard work and faith have been destroyed by a film. Today, the greatest comfort for me is that people understand. Even though the hero's life is elevated, no one sees the suffering of those who worked behind him," he noted.