Koratala Siva has faced financial trouble for Acharya like no other director before. Even though he had done just four films as a director before this, all four were sensational hits. Mirchi, Srimanthudu, Janatha Garage, and Bharat Ane Nenu were all blockbusters and made him join an elite club of star directors. He was the only one other than Rajamouli without a flop. A single movie called Acharya has completely turned his life upside down.
Apart from being a disaster, the movie severely dented the reputation he has built for himself. If the reports are to be believed, Koratala is selling his flat located in a premium area in Hyderabad. Film circles say that he even sold the car gifted to him by Mahesh for Srimanthudu. The industry people are calling it all his fault for falling into this position. Did the director himself bring down the castle he built? They say yes.
Directors need to look after the creative aspects of the film while producers should bear the financial responsibilities. But, Koratala, from the beginning, is always interested in handling his film’s release and distribution too apart from direction. This is what had landed him trouble for Acharya. When considering the examples of other directors’ disasters, Trivikram was saved for Agnyathavasi as producer Chinababu looked after the financial affairs. The same is the case with the debacles of many other directors.
The distributors consulted with the producers of those movies and were settled. But, in the case of Acharya, it is learnt that the distribution activities were completely overseen by Koratala. As all his movies before Acharya were hit, he didn’t taste the fire till now. But for his latest film, as the distributors went directly to his office to settle their losses, the director faced real pressure. Will he be careful further and stay away from distribution from now on? Let’s wait and see.