With uncertainty prevailing over the release of the film “Thalaiva” in the state, Vijay, who plays the lead role in the film, has requested Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalitha's intervention in releasing the movie.
“Our chief minister has been doing several good works for many people. I seek her intervention in the release of the movie in Tamil Nadu. Till then, I appeal to all my fans to be patient,” said the actor in a statement on Monday.
There were reports of pirated VCDs of his movie being circulated. Vijay asked his fans to inform the police on whoever was manufacturing or distributing the VCDs.
The movie was to be released in about 400 theatres in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry on August 9. However, it was put off as producers and theatre owners refused to screen it citing security concerns.
Theatre owners have demanded police protection since several of them received bomb threats if they screened the film.
Another aspect that discouraged theatre owners was the state government's refusal to grant entertainment tax exemption for the film, which would hamper their collections.
Besides, the film has also been dragged to court by one Karnan from Tirunelveli, who has claimed that it was based on the life of his grandfather S S Kandaswamy and father S K Ramaswamy, who lived in Dharavi in Mumbai.
Meanwhile, DGP K Ramanujam refuted certain media reports that the Tamil Nadu Police have “deferred the release” of “Thalaiva” due to security concerns.
“The police did not seek or advise deferring the film's release. Any delay or deferment is not at the instance of the police. The decision to release and the date of release are within the domain of the film industry,” he said.