Sindhu Lohithadas, wife of the late ace scriptwriter and director Lohithadas is reeling under heavy debt burden. Her two houses, ‘Amaravathy’ at Akallur near Lakkidi and the one located on a 14 cent land in Aluva will be soon attached by the bank and the Kerala State Financial Enterprises (KSFE).
Like many rustic characters in the movies of Lohithadas, for the past three years since the demise of the filmmaker, Sindhu, who is staying alone at ‘Amaravathy’, has been engaged in cultivating paddy, tapioca, vegetables and fruits on the 1.5 acre compound of ‘Amaravathy’ for a living.
“I don’t like to talk about the debts. I have not told anyone about it. If I had wished, the mediapersons would have come here on the third death anniversary of Lohithadas on June 28. I have no grouse against anyone,“ Sindhu told Express.
She would talk about anything, especially on her crops and how they are regularly destroyed by wild boars but not about the debts or the films of her husband. “Lohithadas never had any intention of producing a film. But circumstances pushed him into producing one movie- the Tamil remake of ‘Kasturiman’- when the original producer deserted the project. Though the film got an award of the Tamil Nadu government, it was a flop at the box-office. Then it was the usual story of a failed producer - dishonoured cheques, queuing debtors and unpaid liabilities. It was around that time in 2005 that a sum of Rs 13 lakh was availed from the Cooperative Urban Bank in Ottapalam by pledging ‘Amaravathy’. A huge amount was also availed from the KSFE by pledging the house at Aluva. The debt burden has now crossed more than Rs 55 lakh,” said a close friend of the late director.
“The films of Lohithadas were super hits. The state government levies 33 per cent entertainment tax on a film. He had written the screenplay of 45 films, 13 of which he had directed,” said one of the relatives of the director.
“My husband never haggled over the fees or fought cases in court over bounced cheques with the producer. He used to say that he would not be able to concentrate on writing and direction if he go after cases. He used to take life as it comes,” says Sindhu.
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