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‘It’s disheartening’: Actor Vishal questions Rajmohan’s appointment as Film Technology Minister under CM Vijay

Statesman News Service

Image Source: X


Actor Vishal took to X (formerly Twitter) on May 17, 2026, to voice his disappointment over the Tamil Nadu government’s decision to appoint Minister Rajmohan as the in-charge of Film Technology and the Cinematograph Act.

Tamil Nadu Governor Rajendra Arlekar approved the portfolios for the nine ministers sworn in alongside Chief Minister Joseph Vijay. Minister Rajmohan was handed charge of School Education, Tamil Development, Information and Publicity, along with the Film Technology and Cinematograph Act portfolio. Rajmohan is the MLA from the Egmore constituency.

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What Vishal said

Vishal welcomed the overall ministry allocation but drew the line at the film portfolio. He questioned how the film industry, as a body or association, could take its grievances to a minister with little or no direct experience of the sector. He pointed out that CM Vijay himself has been part of the film fraternity for 30 years, from grassroots level, and is far better placed to understand the industry’s struggles.

Vishal described the Tamil film industry as “bleeding” and said producers and production houses are badly in need of relief. He stressed that meaningful reforms are long overdue.

He clarified at the end of his post that he did not intend to demean Rajmohan personally. “Not demeaning Mr. Rajmohan, but it’s just my opinion. CM can give us the much-needed relief,” he wrote.

Three demands placed before CM Vijay

Along with his concerns about the ministerial appointment, Vishal listed three specific demands that he said have been pending for nine years:

1. Government Ticketing Window

Vishal called for the introduction of a government-run ticketing window. He said this would generate revenue for the state while also benefiting viewers, who currently pay ₹30 per ticket.

2. Abolition of Local Body Tax

He urged government to scrap local body tax on films. Vishal pointed out that Tamil Nadu is the only state in India to levy two taxes on films by going against the “one India, one tax” principle.

3. Higher Subsidies for Small Films

Vishal asked that the subsidy for small films be increased annually, calling the current amount meagre and inadequate for the ground realities of independent and low-budget filmmaking.

Industry reacts: Support and pushback

Vishal’s post drew responses from other film industry figures, but not all were in agreement.

Actor and director Raghava Lawrence expressed confidence in CM Vijay’s decision. He urged the film fraternity to support Minister Rajmohan and give him a fair opportunity to settle into his role. Lawrence wrote that CM Vijay would not have taken the decision without careful thought.

Producer T Siva also backed the appointment. He said Rajmohan is popular on social media and has experience in that space. He added that Rajmohan has directed a film and shares close ties with many in the cinema industry. Siva called the appointment “an exceedingly appropriate decision” and thanked CM Vijay for it.

Actor Arun Vijay gave an implicit response to Vishal’s remarks. He asked people not to interfere in government decisions, saying CM Vijay is well aware of the challenges in the film sector.

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