C J Roy: Realty baron who backed reality TV and big-budget cinema

Bengaluru/Kochi: "Building a home is every man's dream. So our business is in selling dreams," Confident Group chairman CJ Roy once said during an interview.The group's real estate business boomed in his native state too, where he catered to every segment of society, ranging from luxury property units to compact residential spaces for middle-income groups in Kochi, Thiruvananthapuram, Thrissur, Kozhikode and Kottayam. But what made him a household name in Kerala was his entry into the entertainment industry. As early as 2007, he sponsored the gift — an apartment worth Rs 1 crore — for the winner of a reality music show on Asianet. Since then, Confident Group was a regular sponsor of the winner's prize in many of the subsequent seasons of the reality show. He announced a reward of Rs 10 lakh for this year's Bigg Boss Malayalam series winner. Many of these programmes became major hits, reinforcing the group's growing influence in the entertainment sector.Buoyed by his success in TV and realty sectors, Roy steadily expanded his business interests into the film and entertainment industry, making significant strides over the past decade. In 2012, he ventured into Malayalam film industry with Mohanlal-starrer ‘Casanovva'. Roy funded over 10 films in Malayalam and Kannada, many of them big-budget projects. In 2021, Roy's group deepened its presence in cinema by co-producing the historical epic ‘Marakkar: Arabikadalinte Simham'. Featuring a star-studded cast of Mohanlal, Manju Warrier, Keerthy Suresh, Arjun Sarja and Suniel Shetty, the film was released in multiple south Indian languages and emerged as a landmark project linking Confident Group with marquee cinematic ventures. He was a production partner of upcoming film Anomie, starring Bhavana. Beyond films and awards, Roy was also involved in sponsoring charity initiatives and cultural events. He was active in rebuilding houses after the devastating floods in Kerala in 2018. Roy was also active on social media, where he showcased his fancy high-end cars and chopper rides.Film fraternity in shockProducer G Suresh Kumar said Roy's demise is a loss for the industry. "His death is unfortunate. From what I have seen, he was a straightforward and brilliant businessman who made the ‘Confident' brand a major player. His love for art led him to produce movies," he said.Producer Antony Perumbavoor, who knew Roy for a long time, said the businessman had associated with his production house, Ashirvad Cinemas. "He is one of our close friends and we knew his family. He always made us happy. His suicide is shocking and difficult to digest," he said.Fefka Directors' Union expressed its condolences on Roy's death on social media.