Director Jithin Laal and producer Listin Stephen took the event to social media and described it as heart-breaking.
Published Sep 17, 2024 | 12:03 PM ⚊ Updated Sep 17, 2024 | 12:03 PM
Pirated version of ‘Ajayante Randam Moshanam’ out. (Screengrab)
Jithin Laal, the director of Tovino Thomas-starrer Ajayante Randam Moshanam (ARM), has shared a shocking video on social media where a passenger travelling by train was seen watching the pirated version of his new movie.
Sharing the video on his Facebook handle on Monday, 16 September, Jithin Laal averred that it was heartbreaking to see people watch the pirated version of ARM on a mobile phone under the comfort of a moving train.
Meanwhile, the film’s producer Listin Stephen announced that a complaint would be forwarded to the police seeking a thorough investigation.
On Tuesday, 17 September, he shared a video on Facebook where a person was seen watching the pirated version of ARM on TV.
The producer mentioned that they shot the film in over 150 days and the post-production was done in one-and-a-half year. It was a dream for the director, screenwriter, producers and a team of over 100.
“This is the condition of a movie that is going to enter the ₹50 crore club today – sitting at home watching the theatre print and posting it on social media,” Listin Stephen wrote in his post.
He mentioned that 90 percent of the movie was in 3D and surpassed all the other releases, with the 3D and 2D versions registering massive footfall in theatres worldwide. He said piracy is killing Malayalam cinema.
Reacting to the issue, the Kerala Film Producers’ Association announced that it would file a complaint with the police.
Expressing his shock, ARM’s protagonist Tovino Thomas stated that it needs to be checked if the pirated version was shot from a theatre as the print was of good quality.
In July, a Madurai native was arrested for shooting the Malayalam comedy Guruvayoor Ambalanadayil. The arrested man was linked to the infamous piracy gang Tamilrockers.
Ajayante Randam Moshanam was released in cinema halls globally on 12 September for Onam. It emerged as a successful venture.
According to its makers, the Malayalam movie collected ₹35 crore worldwide in four days and is inching toward the ₹50-crore mark.
ARM was released in Malayalam, Telugu, Tamil, and Kannada. The movie stars Tovino Thomas in triple roles as Kelu, Maniyan, and Ajayan, who lived in three different time periods.
(Edited by Y Krishna Jyothi)
