TENKASI: After constructing a massive shooting set allegedly in the buffer zone of Kalakkad Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve, sources said the shooting crew of upcoming Dhanush-starrer 'Captain Miller' have also been obstructing local residents from entering a parcel of government land and the Chenkulam canal located near the film set. Further, the video of a bomb blast, which was reportedly shot on the film set, had recently gone viral on social media.
Mathalamparai residents said those who are going to areas near the shooting spot are being admonished by private security guards employed by the film production unit. Allwin Jashwa, one of the residents, said farmers have completely stopped taking their cattle to the area for grazing. "It is painful that these people are denying us entry into the government land in our own village. They park the large number of vehicles used for the fight scenes on a giant rock, on which we had been sitting and taking rest since our childhood. Suddenly, the security guards have banned us from sitting there and taking photographs of the place," he rued.
There are also allegations that the sambar deer, which usually roam freely in the buffer zone, are not coming to the region nowadays owing to the high-beam lights and high-power speakers used by the movie unit. "The songs in the movie are sometimes played at high volume and can be heard from a few kilometres away. All this is severely disturbing the wildlife," another resident said.
Meanwhile, MDMK councillor Rama Udayasuriyan said he could visit the public work department's Chenkulam canal only after securing clearance from the security guards. An official from the district fire office told TNIE that the movie unit had not obtained any permission from their department. "It is mandatory for any shooting crew to obtain our permit before constructing a set or carrying out a bomb blast in the area," the official, who requested anonymity, said.