Controversy has arisen in the South Indian film industry due to two movies titled ‘Jailer.’ One features the iconic Rajinikanth, directed by Nelson, and the other is directed by Sakkir Madathil and stars Dhyan Sreenivasan. Madathil claims to have registered the title first and has urged the Rajinikanth film to choose an alternative title to avoid confusion.
Sun Pictures, the production company behind Rajinikanth’s film, declined the request and instead took the matter to court. In response, director Madathil filed a counterclaim, and the hearing is scheduled for August 2.
In a recent statement, director Sakkir Madathil shared the challenges he faced in making his version of ‘Jailer.’ He disclosed that he invested a significant amount, approximately Rs. 5 crore, into the project. To finance it, he had to mortgage his house and his daughter’s jewelry, sell his car, and borrow from banks and other sources. The financial burden has become overwhelming, with difficulties in paying interest, leading him to contemplate extreme measures. He expressed hope that Rajinikanth, whom he regards as a good person, would understand his plight, as his future is tied to ‘Jailer.’
However, some Rajinikanth fans have voiced skepticism, believing that the director may be seeking sympathy from the public while indirectly pressuring Rajinikanth by sharing his suicide contemplation story.
Despite the dispute, both films, with distinct themes and genres, are continuing with their respective release plans. Rajinikanth’s version is an action-packed movie with a star-studded cast, while the Malayalam film offers a period drama set in the 1950s, revolving around a jailer’s unique experiment with five notorious criminals. The clash over the title has certainly added tension, but audiences can still look forward to both films hitting the screens in due course.