After protests on day 1, it’s business as usual for Kaala

After the chaos caused by protests on day one, superstar Rajinikanth's Kaala was shown in more screens across the city on Friday.

Following opposition from the pro-Kannada activists, the movie was cancelled and rescheduled multiple times on Thursday.

Besides the single screens, multiplexes in Mantri Mall, Orion Mall and Lido Mall screened the film with police protection. There was no disturbance on Friday.

A staffer at Inox told DH: "There was uncertainty on day one. There was a good response from the audience, but pro-Kannada activists protested and asked us to cancel the show."

"No such incidents (were expected) on Friday (morning). We are going ahead with the screening. We have scheduled a few shows for now. I think the demand would go up over the weekend," the staffer said.

Several Kannada outfits on Thursday protested against the screening of Kaala, demanding an open apology from Rajinikanth over an alleged derogatory remark against Karnataka and Kannadigas. Several activists like Kannada Chaluvali Paksha chief Vatal Nagaraj, Karnataka Film Chamber of Commerce president Sa Ra Govindu, Karnataka Rakshana Vedhike chief Praveen Shetty and actor Anup Sa Ra Govindu were taken into custody for opposing the release of the movie against the high court orders. They were released by late evening, following which they trooped to the Mantri Mall again and stalled the screening.

Huge disappointment

The activists were confident that the mall owners would oblige to their request, but were in for a huge disappointment on Friday.

"They had promised that they will not screen the movie. But they have gone ahead with the screening without any hesitation. I don't know how to make them understand the problem. People will understand when our city taps run dry," Nagaraj said.

Sa Ra Govindu said: "If the mall and theatre owners have not realised the importance of our actions, we cannot help it. We were taken into custody for protesting yesterday (Thursday). In the evening, we decided to solve the issue peacefully and appealed to the theatre owners to stop the screening. They cancelled a few shows for our benefit, but went ahead with the screening today."