Server Sundaram to be home delivered?

Very few films in the history of Tamil cinema have seen the kind of multiple release delays that Santhanam-starrer Server Sundaram has. The film, directed by Anand Balki, is reportedly looking to follow the lead of Jyotika's Ponmagal Vandhal, which is expected to be released on Amazon Prime early next month.

Speaking about the direct OTT release speculation, Balki says, "It's a painful thing for a director like me who has waited for 20 years to make my debut. But the situation is not favourable for a theatrical release. It pains me to say that, after struggling so much, we are in talks to release the film on OTT. I am currently mediating between the platforms and the producer."

Balki adds that a lot of people who enjoyed the promotional materials still want to see the film on the big screens. "Even I was in a dilemma if we should release it on OTT or wait until October or November to release in theatres. From 2016 till today, our film is still sailing and not a forgotten ship. The trailer was well received and Santhanam's fans have kept it trending," says the director, who feels that he and the producer are ready to move on. "But we've been stuck with this for a while now. How long can we remain so without moving ahead? I have four more scripts but haven't approached any actor till now. I have resolved to not do that till the release of Server Sundaram. I don't want to undergo the same debutant director feel again."

However, Balki says nothing is concrete yet as far as the OTT release goes. "We are working with whatever contacts we have in the OTT side. The film's satellite rights are with a channel, so we are working around that to sort out the OTT rights. We're not trying to make a profit here. The amount invested, taking into account interest over so many years, is quite a huge one. If that's recovered for the producer, that's enough." The director feels that sealing the deal is important to his reputation. "I should be able to say that a producer who invested money on my project has walked out without a loss."