“The Tamil Film Protection Council, Cinema distributors and owners will not allow the screening of Kamal Hasan’s ‘Viswaroopam’ in any theatre in Tamil Nadu if the movie is released on Direct to Home (DTH),” warned K Rajan, president, Tamil Film Protection Council here on Saturday.
Rajan said, “140 movies have been released this year, and only a few succeeded in becoming hits. Theatre owners and distributors have faced severe losses. Under these circumstances, Kamal Hasan has added insult to injury by stating that his new movie ‘Viswaroopam’ would be released through DTH.”
Previously, a movie was given to television channels after five years of its release, which was later reduced to three years, and at present it has been altered to one year.
The council charged Kamal Hasan of being selfish and trying to make profits without considering the welfare of cinema workers and their families.
“Viswaroopam has been certified as U/A by the Censor Board which children are not supposed to watch. If the movie is telecast on television, will it not be a social issue,” asked a council member.
“In Bollywood, Kamal released the film eight weeks before the DTH telecast. But, in Kollywood, the movie was telecast on DTH a day prior to its release,” he said. Kamal is trying to wreck the unity among theatre owners by stating that many cinema halls were ready to screen his movie, he added. The council appealed to Kamal to reconsider his decision on the issue, and save theatre owners and film technicians.