Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay has granted an early Diwali gift to the Tamil film industry by clearing nearly Rs 16 crore in grants for 224 films. In Chennai, Minister Rajmohan Arumugam gave out Rs 15.68 crore in film subsidies from the government to producers of those 224 features. Each producer walked away with a cheque for Rs 7 lakh. The subsidy programme was initiated to encourage makers to produce Tamil films at a lower cost and introduce topics with a societal message. Producer T. Siva took to social media to share his gratitude to the CM and the Tamil Nadu government for clearing these outstanding dues.
Producer T Siva thanks CM Vijay for Rs 16 crore in film subsidies
On X (formerly Twitter), actor and producer T. Siva, who releases films under his banner Amma Creations, wrote out a heartfelt message of gratitude to CM Vijay and minister Rajmohan Arumugam, who is also a former actor, for clearing the subsidies ahead of Diwali. The producer is known for backing films such as Saroja, Kanimozhi, Deiva Vaakku, and Aravindhan, which introduced composer Yuvan Shankar Raja.
Stating that the clearance of the subsidies had been pending for seven years, Siva got emotional as he shared, “This is not merely a grant… it is a Diwali gift received by numerous families dependent on the film industry! Among the beneficiaries, 90 per cent are individuals who have lost their livelihoods due to film production. There is no doubt that this assistance will bring about a resurgence in their lives.”
More about the Kollyood film subsidy programme
The 224 films chosen for the subsidy were made during 2015 and 2022. According to a report in ETV Bharat, they were picked by a selection committee headed by retired justice SK Krishnan. At the Chennai event, Minister Rajmohan reportedly stressed the importance of features like Bharathiraja’s Karuththamma (1994), which highlighted the dangers of female infanticide and created awareness about the issue.
The minister also praised makers who sought films with societal messages while not worrying about their commercial capabilities. Rajmohan also went on to say that future state awards for the film industry would only be handed out on the basis of merit and honesty. Vijay founded the political party Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) in February 2024. Earlier this year, he made a stunning political debut in the 2026 Tamil Nadu Assembly elections after his party took 108 seats, leading his path to the position of Chief Minister.
