Kalanithi Maran, the biz tycoon who invests big to earn big; net worth touches Rs 25,000 crore

These are times when big-budget movies are being churned out of India with an eye on the international market. Kalanithi Maran, the producer of Tamil blockbuster ‘Jailer’, has made an abrupt entry into this elite segment, which till now was regarded as a monopoly of a few frontline film producers.

As the film scripts a new history at the box office by earning Rs 580 crore, the energy that it gives to the entire film industry is indeed noteworthy. With this, the name of Kalanithi Maran has also found a place among the richest, big-ticket film producers in the country. He's in the spotlight for producing the biggest-grossing Tamil movie and for his unique approach to making and marketing films. He also shares profits when a movie makes money.

According to Forbes, Kalanithi Maran is climbing the ranks quickly, and has overtaken some big names in Bollywood such as Karan Johar, Aditya Chopra, Sajid Nadiadwala, and Ronnie Screwvala, etc. His net worth is estimated to be around Rs 25,000 crore. With this, Kalanithi Maran is ranked 77th on the list of High-Net-Worth Individuals in India and 1009th globally.

Kalanithi Maran, who established and currently serves as chairman of the Sun TV Network, a major television network in South India, has set his eyes on big-ticket business projects right from the beginning. In the cash-rich Indian Premier League, he has ensured his presence as the owner of Sunrisers Hyderabad. He had also taken over the operational responsibility of Spice Jet for a brief period from 2010 to 2015.

Kalanithi Maran, son of the former union minister Murasoli Maran, is also the son-in-law of the legendary Dravidian political stalwart and former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi. His younger brother Dayanidhi Maran, too, served as a union minister. While closely associated with that political legacy, he sought to tread a different path and fought unending battles to build an empire on his own. Kalanithi Maran has often attributed his success to a strong heart that doesn’t succumb to defeats and meticulous planning.

Keeping a close tab on the global media scene, he marched ahead by exploring the various growth prospects of the media and entertainment industry in different periods. Having started with a video magazine titled 'Poomaalai’ in Tamil in 1990, he launched Sun TV three years later by recognizing the potential of visual media in a fast-developing world. This marked the beginning of a visual revolution. He could soon extend his empire to the entire Tamil Nadu and then to neighbouring states as well. Entire South India soon got used to the TV channels of Sun TV, its FM stations, and DTH services. The growth of the Sun TV network into a platform comprising over 30 channels was rapid. Buoyed by its growth and as a continuation of it, the Sun Pictures took shape. Established in the year 2000, the production house became active in the industry with the super hit flick 'Enthiran’, released in 2010. This was followed by the production and distribution of several big-budget movies and eventually, the production house found a place among the list of big-time producers in the Tamil film industry.

The Sun Group continues to shine like a rising sun while Kalanidhi Maran found a special place on the list of financial success stories from India. He always stood very keen to invest heavily in his business ventures. The long list of his achievements, which now extend up to 'Jailer', speaks volumes about this attitude.

While the movie buffs hail 'Jailer' as the creation of Nelson and Rajinikanth, the movie owes its success to the determination shown by Kalanidhi Maran to a great deal. For he was instrumental in taking Nelson, who had approached him with the story of 'Jailer', to superstar Rajinikanth. This was revealed by Rajinikanth himself during the official launch of the film’s songs. After the failure of 'Beast', a few of the actor’s friends asked him whether he was sure about doing a movie with Nelson. Rajinikanth, at the same time, was concerned about the director’s future if he withdrew from the project after its formal announcement. Thus, he left it for the producer to take a call. Soon, some persons representing Kalanidhi Maran came to meet the actor and convinced him that `Beast’ did not flop commercially even though the movie did not do well at the box office. As the producer had no issues, Rajnikanth said `ok’ to the project. The movie thus born on Maran’s assurance has now become a milestone in the history of the Tamil film industry.

By dolling out huge sums, an array of superstars from other industries such as Mohan Lal, Shivaraj Kumar, and Jackie Shroff etc were brought in. The move took the production costs flying up north and went much beyond what a usual Rajini movie could afford. Maran, however, was unfazed and sharp enough to read the pitch and planned accordingly. The budget swelled further and went beyond the limit that any producer could afford, but Maran continued to believe firmly in Rajini and Nelson. As the movie went on to become a super hit and raked in profits, he also did not forget to give a lion’s share of the profit to the crew. That gesture is enough to know how big a heart he has.