National Award-winning filmmaker Vetrimaaran has decided to step away from film production after more than a decade. The acclaimed director announced that his banner, Grass Root Film Company, will shut down after the release of Bad Girl, citing the mounting pressures and challenges of being a producer.
Opening up at Chennai press meet
Speaking at a press meet in Chennai on Monday, ahead of Bad Girl’s release, Vetrimaaran opened up about the challenges he faced while working on his recent films Manushi and Bad Girl.The director explained that producing films felt far more taxing than directing, as it came with constant pressures beyond creativity. While directing allowed him the freedom to focus purely on storytelling, producing demanded attention to every detail—even down to monitoring comments under a teaser, he noted.
Business pressures and financial strain
He pointed out that a film’s business can be heavily influenced by what cast and crew members say, adding to the mounting stress of production. He admitted that for independent producers like him, who often borrow money to finance projects, the challenges become overwhelming. With this in mind, he confirmed that Bad Girl will be the final venture under Grass Root Film Company, which will now be shutting down.
Censorship hurdles for Manushi
Vetrimaaran’s recent productions, Manushi and Bad Girl, ran into trouble with the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC). Earlier in June, he moved the Madras High Court after the CBFC denied a censor certificate for Manushi, directed by N. Gopi Nainar and starring Andrea Jeremiah. On August 30, the court directed that the film could be cleared only after 25 cuts and 12 modifications.Bad Girl, starring Anjali Sivaraman and directed by Varsha Bharat, ran into similar trouble after its teaser was released. It was criticised for portraying Brahmins in a bad light. “After watching the teaser, we saw some hypersensitive comments and assumptions being made. But the movie wasn’t like that. The CBFC gave it a U/A. Manushi, my previous film, went to one censor screening and two revising committee screenings,” he said of the ordeal.
