This is the story of a director. Some time ago, when he was still struggling to establish himself in the film industry, he took advances from several people.
Now that he has gained a reputation, he is more selective about the banners and studios he chooses to work with.
In such situations, one might expect him to return the advances taken earlier if he’s no longer working on those projects.
However, instead of returning the money, he offers stories as compensation, claiming they can take his scripts instead of cash.
One producer, who is also somewhat of a friend, reportedly gave him around â¹2.5 to â¹3 crore. The director neither made the film nor returned the money but handed over a story as compensation.
While that might seem acceptable to some, it raises the question of what happens to the remaining amount.
Even if the story is valued at â¹1 to â¹1.5 crore, there’s still a significant balance. Instead of paying back the rest, the director offers another story from his collection.
Is this how directors operate? Recently, another director, unable to repay a producer, suggested re-releasing his old hit films as a solution.
This kind of behavior is becoming a concerning trend in Tollywood. Once money changes hands, does it no longer belong to the one who gave it?
This raises serious questions about accountability and professionalism in the industry.