What happened to Mappillai? The Dhanush-starrer remake of the Rajni film with the same title was announced with fanfare a few months ago. Now one hears that the film has been 'dropped'!  Why?  

Usually, a film gets 'dropped' when the lead actor/actress drops out of the film for some reasons.  In the case of 'Maappillai', it is said that it was the director who was actually responsible for the abandonment.  When producer Nemichand Jabak and Dhanush decided to make the film, they had roped in Siraaj as the director.  Siraaj, incidentally, had directed Dhanush last year in his hit film 'Padikkadhavan'.

Siraaj was reportedly assured a sum of Rs.1.25 crores as the fee for directing the film.  Jabak, faced with huge financial losses through Cheran's 'Pokkisham', had 'transferred' the film Maappillai to Sun Pictures.  It was at this very juncture that problems started cropping up.  Sun Pictures is said to have curtly made it 'clear' to Siraaj that instead of the earlier agreed fee of Rs.1.25 crores, they would only be paying him a sum of Rs.35 lakhs.

A shocked and disappointed Siraaj simply opted out of the film on the same day when Sun Pictures proposed the cut in his fee.

Will Mappillai be resumed with another director is yet to be known.