BENGALURU: The controversy over the release of actor Rajnikanth’s movie Kaala reached the Karnataka High Court on Monday with the popular Tamil actor’s daughter and son-in-law moving the court through Chennai-based production house Wunderbar Films Private Ltd, seeking directions to the DG&IGP of Karnataka Neelamani N Raju and City Police Commissioner T Suneel Kumar to give protection to ensure that law and order is maintained during the release and screening of the movie.
In their petition, the applicants have said the DG&IGP as well as the police commissioner had been given representations for the same but the applicants felt that owing to the circumstances, the State police force was not likely to support them and extend protection and provide security to those connected with the film as well as those who would go to watch it.
The film has been boycotted by the Karnataka Film Chamber of Commerce (KFCC), which had issued a statement calling for a ban on the release and distribution of the movie. The petitioners made Chief Secretary of Karnataka Government, Home Department, DG&IGP, City Police Commissioner, Central Board of Film Certification and the Karnataka Film Chamber of Commerce (KFCC), as respondents.
The advocate representing Wunderbar Films said, “Taking note of the press statements of KFCC and also the requests of pro-Kannada groups calling for a ban and an order/decision of the Chief Secretary towards banning the release and distribution of the film in Karnataka, which may be or may already have been passed, the petitioners decided to approach the court.”
“The decision of KFCC in banning the release was communicated to the petitioner and the public at large by way of a press statement. Respondents curtailing and denying the right of free expression granted under Article 19(1)(a) of the Constitution of India, despite the petitioners’ film ‘Kaala’ having been granted the certification under the Cinematograph Act”, the petition said.
Prakash Raj trolled
Actor Prakash Raj, who spoke out against the ban Kaala was meanwhile mercilessly trolled on social media on Monday. The actor had initially posted a long writeup on Sunday asking what Kaala had to do with the Cauvery dispute between Karnataka and Tamil Nadu asking the JDS/Congress government to not let “fringe elements take law into their hands” and step in to ensure the film is released.