"Film Industry Needs More Protection": Prakash Raj On Producer's Suicide

Coimbatore: Noted South Indian actor Prakash Raj on Wednesday asked the government to provide protection to the film industry, which did not have proper safeguards, he said, as seen by a producer's suicide because he was allegedly harassed by a loan shark.

The government should take a firm decision on the matter as despite paying taxes, the film industry has no proper safeguards, he said, adding that the suicide of Tamil film producer B Ashok Kumar was a clear indication of the real condition in the film field.

Mr Raj said the death also raised many questions and nobody should take such a decision (to commit suicide). Such suicides had occurred earlier also, but no one noticed them, he said.

The producer allegedly committed suicide at his house in Chennai, with a suicide note recovered from the spot blaming a Madurai-based film financer for pushing him to take the extreme step.

Mr Kumar reportedly accused the financier of charging exorbitant interest on some loans obtained by him, and harassing him over the same.

On the controversy surrounding the release of historical drama Padmavati, Prakash Raj said it was not right for the government to remain silent on the matter.

The Sanjay Leela Bhansali-directed film has sparked a conflagration of protests from Rajput and Hindu groups who accuse it of being insulting to the queen played by Deepika Padukone and glorifying Emperor Alauddin Khilji.

Ms Padukone has receiveda number of violent threats including that with death and multiple state governments have taken unto themselves to write to the centre, requesting the release scheduled for next month be held off sparking a huge debate about freedom of expression and dramatic portrayal of history.

(With inputs from PTI)