Malayalam film director Salam Bappu has said there is no truth to the rumours about his first film 'Red Wine' that is circulating on social media. The director was responding to a new published by a YouTube channel which claimed that his first film bombed at the box office because of Mohanlal.
Salam clarified that his words from an old interview were twisted by an online channel. “No one should stoop to this level,” he said.
Salam Bappu’s words:
“Recently, I came across several videos claiming that I had stated that Mohanlal was the reason for the film’s failure. Some were atrocious. One was titled ‘Mohanlal did not allow to change the script, Red wine director reveals the reason behind the movie’s failure’ etc.
Where did this come from? I never gave such an interview to anyone! Initially, I ignored it, However, when I saw the same in a famous and reliable online media platform, I felt really sad. In one of the interviews, I saw that I said so in an interview given to the Master Bean YouTube channel. I was shocked. I have not given any interviews to such a channel. My words from an interview that I had not given at all. How horrifying is that!!
I checked their Youtube channel and it is true. There was a news uploaded 4 minutes ago. I glanced at the heading and it said – ‘Mohanlal did not let to change the script; With that, the film became a flop’.
It was me in the interview. But it was an interview given soon after the release of ‘Red Wine’, that too for another channel. That has resurfaced as a fresh interview with a Master bean watermark. I watched the whole interview. I have not uttered a word about the failure of the movie anywhere in the interview. I have said, ‘Lal sir acted without bothering about the role’s importance. Lal sir said, priority is not for my character. It is the cinema that is important,’ in the interview that was given 9 years ago.
The words I used to laud Lal sir’s magnanimity have been twisted negatively and presented in the channel. On scrolling backwards, I found the same interview published by the same channel with a positive headline. This has not been noticed by many though; neither did it become ‘news’.
Lal Sir is like a guru to me, an actor whom I admired since my childhood. I consider myself really lucky that I could start my independent career in filmmaking with the camera focusing on his face. I have said this in many interviews earlier also. However busy he is, when we meet in person, he shakes my hand and asks me ‘Salam, all well?’. That relationship is still there. Such relationships are strained when people give such fake news for mere reach and likes online. Such fake news and headlines can only make people drift away from each other. Do those who earn money through such acts value human relationships?,” the director asks.
In the same Master Bean channel, another interview was published four months ago titled – ‘Producer pledges the mangalsutra (tali); Despite casting Mohanlal, he did not even get half of the money invested.’ When many sent me the link to this online news, I called up Red Wine producer Gireesh Lal and asked him, “Red Wine is a movie that was profitable for you. Then why have you said it was a loss in the interview? Don’t unnecessarily blame Lal sir and be ungrateful to him.”
He responded saying, “Salam, I never said that. I said 'Red Wine' was a profitable movie for me. It was table profit, I had said. What can I do for such news being published? Salam, watch the interview.”
After hanging up the phone, I watched the interview completely. What he had said was right. He has said 'Red Wine' has brought him profit. I immediately called him up and apologized for judging and blaming him just by reading the headline.
As I had that freedom with Gireesh Ettan (colloquially brother), I called him up and asked if the news was true. If Lal sir sees this news, he may not call up and ask the truth. He would think what Salam said was not fair and that would remain in his mind.
When we do a cinema, the artists, producer, director, or other technical crew, someone should benefit from it, I believe. We completed 'Red Wine' with artists including Lalettan, Fahad Fazil, Asif, Suraj, Saiju, T J Ravi Chettan, Meghna Raj, Anusree, Miya and Meera Nandan for Rs 4.5 crore within 42 days. Asianet bought the Satellite rights for Rs 5 crores and release events took it up for distribution at Rs 2.5 crore for a minimum guarantee (The producer is not bound to return it, advertisements are also the distributor’s responsibility),” Salam added.
Red Wine was released in about 100 theatres. It was running into the 4th week without many promotions and advertisements. Red wine is also one of the movies that has been telecast on the channel the most number of times. It also has good viewership on Amazon Prime and Hotstar OTT platforms. Besides, the dubbed versions of Red Wine were released in Telugu, Kannada, Hindi and Tamil. All these happened because of the star cast of Lal sir, Fahad and Asif.
According to Salam, many people keep calling him to appreciate the movie whenever they see it. It is an encouragement. I enjoy the honour I get as the Red Wine director wherever I go. Even after years, the movie still is being discussed on social media itself is a big achievement,” the director said.
I have only directed two films independently. I am working on my third. My achievement as a director is that the producers of the two films I did earlier could get a profit out of it. ‘Manglish’ producer still says when he calls up that it was the film that benefitted him the most. A producer trusts us and invests a lifetime’s earnings for a film. It is a blessing if we are able to return it. I am grateful that I did not make any producer popper.
He revealed that he received several scripts after 'Manglish'. “But, I did not take up any as I was not fully satisfied. When I take the advance for a movie that I am not fully convinced of, and toss and turn in bed without sleep, my wife tells me to call up the producer the next day and return the advance. Films cannot be made continuously; My aim is to make one or two films with good essence and content. I am making efforts for that. Making a film is my personal thing. My dream is to make films that I like. When all factors are favourable, I will come up with a film that I like. I have not promised anyone that I would make so many films. One good film talks volumes for us more than a 1000 bad films; it will transcend time,” he added.
He said he had only felt utter contempt to those who slung mud at each other after working in films together. “I have felt utter contempt for them. When similar news came up online, I felt ashamed. I was also a journalist. I have studied journalism. I left that career and came into cinema. So let me remind those who published fake news that this is not journalism. Whoever it is, they should not be so cheap. Realise that everything is not to be sold. Think whether they are playing with others’ lives. Even though I wish to communicate and quarrel with society through my films, such experiences force me to react,” he said.
