No intention to compete with Suriya's 'Retro', says Tourist Family producer Yuvaraj Ganesan

Chennai, April 29: Producer Yuvaraj Ganesan, whose firm has produced Abishan Jeevinth's upcoming comedy drama, 'Tourist Family', featuring actor Sasikumar and Simran in the lead, has made it clear that they were releasing their film on the same day as that of director Karthik Subbaraj's 'Retro', featuring Suriya and Pooja Hegde in the lead, not because they wanted to compete with the eagerly-awaited action thriller but because they did not have any other option.

During an interaction with the media recently, the producer of the film was asked as to why they were choosing to compete with Suriya's eagerly awaited action entertainer 'Retro' as both films are scheduled to release on May 1.

Responding to the question, producer Yuvaraj said, "As OTT is there, we don't decide the date of release of our films."

The producer explained that when the makers of a film give their film to a platform, they are expected to sign agreements that stipulate the film's time of release.

Yuvaraj said that they had signed agreements that stipulated that their film should release on OTT by the end of May.

"So, as a result, because we have no other option, we are releasing it on May 1," the producer explained clarifying that they were not looking to compete.

"We have no intention to compete with Suriya's 'Retro', which is a very big film. We have done a film. There is no question of competition. As we had no other dates available and as we had no other option, we are releasing it on May 1," he explained.

Produced by Million Dollar Studios and MRP Entertainment, 'Tourist Family' is being backed by producers Nasareth Baslian, Mahesh Raj Baslian, and Yuvaraj Ganesan. The film has already created a buzz in the trade circles with several industry insiders showering praise on it.

In fact, distributor Vithurs, who has bought the overseas rights of the upcoming feel-good family entertainer, had recently called the film a “gem” and said, that as an Eelam Tamil, the film was close to his heart.

Director Rathna Kumar, after watching the film, took to his X timeline to register his thoughts on it. He wrote, "#TouristFamily is a Classy film. A simple film with lot of heart. Lot of gubeer ROFL moments and emotionally melting moments throughout the film. For me this is @SasikumarDir sir’s best as an actor. I got blown away seeing the post-interval sequence. Whatte well written sequence it is. Theater will go bonkers for it."

Rathna Kumar had also praised young director Abishan Jeevinth, saying, "Stunning debut by director @abishanjeevinth. This man is just 24 and he has arrived already. Became your fan."

Reader Comments

P

Priya K.

Smart move by the producers to clarify this upfront! The OTT release schedules can be so rigid these days. Wishing both films success though I'll probably watch Retro first weekend and catch Tourist Family on streaming later. 🎬

A

Arjun R.

Honestly, this transparency is refreshing. Too often we see producers making unnecessary comparisons. Tourist Family sounds like it has its own charm - a comedy drama and action thriller can coexist peacefully. The distributor's praise has me curious!

M

Meena S.

While I appreciate the honesty, I do feel the producers could've negotiated better with OTT platforms. Releasing against a Suriya film is always risky, even if unintentional. Hope this doesn't affect Tourist Family's box office too much - the buzz seems genuine.

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Karthik V.

That praise from Rathna Kumar is no small thing! If he's calling it Sasikumar's best performance, I'm definitely checking this out. The director being just 24 is mind-blowing - fresh talent is always exciting in Tamil cinema.

S

Shalini P.

Simran is back! 😍 That's enough reason for me to watch Tourist Family. The combo of her and Sasikumar in a comedy drama sounds perfect for a relaxed weekend watch. The industry responses have me really excited!

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