Vishwaroopam on hold due to payment delay

There’s some sour news for Kamal Haasan’s fans. The superstar’s much talked-about Vishwaroopam is nowhere close to releasing. Reason? The film’s producer Aascar Ravi hasn’t been able to provide funds needed to pay the pending salaries of the film’s crew and cast.

Says the actor, “I have six months of post-production work on the project left. My producer Oscar Ravi was busy bringing Arnold Schwarzenneger to release a Tamil film’s music and even busier buying rights for distribution of various films. Till he pays his due, the film stays mine on contract.”

Kamal Haasan is willing to let go of his own fees, but cannot forego his team’s fee. “To work ahead, the crew needs to be paid. I can’t let my cast and crew suffer for my idealism,” says Kamal who is willing to talk things out with Oscar. “We meet regularly and there’s no indication of any animosity regarding Vishwaroopam. It’s just that he’s busy with other ventures. For us, it is years of hard work. For him it’s just one more business venture. Mr Oscar wants us to cut our budgets but we cannot cut on budgets unless people are paid their pending salaries. This is a film, not a vegetable stall.”