Bangalore cinemas await police nod for film release

IANS/Chennai

The Bangalore-release of controversial film Vishwaroopam has been further delayed by theatre owners following orders from police. The film was originally set to be released in 12 cinemas yesterday.

“The police banned the film after citing law and order problems yesterday. We are waiting for the final go-ahead from the police to resume showing the film in about 20 theatres in Bangalore. People are standing outside the theatres patiently waiting for the screening to start,” a representative from Urvashi cinemas said.

Written, produced and directed by Kamal Haasan, the film features besides him Pooja Kumar, Andrea Jeremiah, Rahul Bose, Shekhar Kapur and Jaideep Ahlawat.

Both the 10.45am and 2.30pm shows at the Urvashi got cancelled yesterday. Other theatres have also not screened the film since morning.

“We planned to have four shows of the film since this morning but the first two shows of the day remain cancelled. If we would get a go-ahead during the course of the day, then we’ll have rest of the shows.”

The Tamil and Telugu versions of Vishwaroopam, which deals with the adversities of war, were scheduled for release on January 25, but the Tamil Nadu government imposed a curb following protests from Muslim groups.

The ban came after members of Muslim organisations objected on the ground the film portrays the community in bad light.

A day later, the Madras High Court restricted the film’s release until today. Justice K Venkatraman along with some members of the judiciary watched a private screening of the film in Chennai on Saturday. He will give his final verdict today.

The film was screened on the opening day in Andhra Pradesh and Kerala, but soon after the first show many theatres were asked to stop the shows.

The delay in the screening the Rs950mn film is likely to result in an estimated loss of Rs300mn, say industry experts.

“A film like Vishwaroopam, which was promoted at a huge scale, will perhaps have to bear a loss of around Rs20 to Rs30 crore. But it also depends on the fate of the film. If the film again gets delayed, then the loss might even cross more than Rs30 crore,” Mumbai-based distributor Rajesh Thadani of Multi Media Combines said.

Malaysia meanwhile has been withdrawn the film from cinemas following a directive from the home ministry, a media report said.