Producer KJ Rajesh has opened up about the financial setbacks he faced after taking over Sivakarthikeyan-starrers Hero and Ayalaan, revealing that he is currently burdened with losses amounting to Rs 120 crore.

In a recent interview, Rajesh clarified that Hero, Doctor, and Ayalaan were originally 24AM Studios productions and not projects developed by his banner. He said he stepped in when Hero ran into difficulties and later took over Ayalaan as well, hoping to recover the investments through a series of collaborations with Sivakarthikeyan.

Reflecting on Hero's performance, Rajesh stated that despite having a strong story, the film failed to connect with audiences. He also felt viewers were not receptive to Sivakarthikeyan playing a character who did not engage in action sequences.

Speaking about Ayalaan, the producer revealed that the film carried a debt of nearly Rs 90 crore. Although Doctor emerged as a commercial success, the revenues were largely used to offset existing liabilities. According to Rajesh, the delays caused by the pandemic further worsened the situation, with mounting interest significantly increasing the overall burden.

"I entered with a debt of Rs 90 crore, and today I'm sitting on a loss of Rs 120 crore," Rajesh said, adding that Sivakarthikeyan himself had incurred losses of around Rs 55 crore during the process.

Rajesh also mentioned that two more projects agreed upon with Sivakarthikeyan remain pending, though he is unsure when they will eventually take shape.

Meanwhile, KJ Rajesh is gearing up for the release of Angikaaram, a sports drama directed by debutant Thenpathiyan, in which he makes his debut as a lead actor.