Actor Baiju Santosh has reacted in the ongoing remuneration controversy surrounding him and the producer of his upcoming movie Maradu. The actor told Manorama Online that he had acted in the movie after signing a contract stating that he would be paid Rs 20 lakh as remuneration. He added that he doesn’t understand why the producer was talking about a contract of Rs 8 lakh now.
Baiju says that the producer should show him the contract of Rs 8 lakh, if it exists as the latter claims. He said that he would agree to any terms and conditions of the producer if such a contract exists.
“It was on the day that I joined the sets of movie Maradu that the manager of producer Abam Abraham approached me with a blank agreement. I wrote Rs 20 lakh in figures and in numbers on it and signed. There were no comments about it while the filming progressed. This had happened in the last week of January or the first week of February. It was around the same time that I had acted in the movie Minnal Murali. I was paid Rs 20 lakh in that movie as well,” says Baiju.
Baiju said that anyone could contact Sophia Paul, the producer of Minnal Murali, who is a member of the producers’ association. He stressed that she too would confirm the same.
He also noted that he had received a remuneration of Rs 20 lakh for a movie produced by B Ragesh, the treasure of the producers’ association, two years ago.
“I had told the producer of Maradu that he could reduce Rs 5 lakh from the agreed amount as the cinema industry is struggling due to the pandemic. I had received a payment of Rs 15 lakh for the movie Pattabiraman which was bankrolled by the same producer. I told him that he could pay me what he had paid me two years ago. However, he informed that he would pay me Rs 8 lakh. I don’t understand this,” says Baiju.
Baiju said that the producer had claimed at the producers’ association that he had paid the actor Rs 12 lakh for Pattabiraman. However, Baiju rejects this claim and insists that he was paid Rs 15 lakh then. “I think he may have purposefully forgotten the amount. He says that I had signed the contract for Rs 8 lakh in Maradu. If such an agreement exists, I need to see that; because I know that I haven’t signed on a contract like that,” Baiju says firmly.
Meanwhile, Baiju said that he didn’t know whether the producer had rubbed off the original amount on the contract and added a new one. He claimed that he could easily recognize whether the contract has been tampered with, if he sees it.
“If he can show me the agreement for Rs 8 lakh which he claims that I had signed, then I would obey whatever he says. I give my word that I would dub for the movie whenever he demands. In case they cannot produce such an agreement, then they would have to pay me Rs 15 lakh which is Rs 5 lakh less than what has been agreed. I am someone who trusts everyone. I believe that mutual trust is everyone, so I hadn’t asked for a copy of the agreement then. I do not wish to blame any officials of the producers’ association. The producer association has been formed to protect the producers, right?” asks Baiju
Baiju, however, said that there should be a sense of justice in everything. He noted that an enquiry must be done to see on whose side justice is in this case. “If there is such an agreement, then the producer must exhibit it in front of the media as well. Anyways, our producer is indeed a very intelligent man. His movie would definitely get a promotion if such a controversy is created now. If that is the case, then let it be. I wish them all the best,” concludes Baiju.
