'Kaala' to release in Karnataka after high court order

Producers of superstar Rajinikanth-starrer Kaala are determined to release the much-awaited movie in nearly 300 screens across Karnataka after the High Court asked the police to provide security to movie halls.

Sources in Wunderbar Films, the production company owned by Rajinikanth’s son-in-law Dhanush, said they will go ahead with the release and indicated that bookings might start on Wednesday.

Sources in the film industry also told DH that Kaala will open in theatres in Karnataka, especially in Bengaluru and surrounding areas, as scheduled on Thursday and many multiplexes will open ticket bookings on Wednesday.

“We are going ahead with the release in nearly 300 screens in Bengaluru and other areas. We will release the movie as planned,” a source in the know of the developments said.

When asked whether the producers would ask the Karnataka government for protection, the source said: “The high court has asked the state to provide police protection for theatres screening the movie. So, we hope things will be smooth.”

In Chennai, the excitement was slowly picking up with theatres scheduling special shows as early as 4 am on Thursday and the silver lining is that the tickets are not exorbitantly priced, which is an accepted norm on the release day of movies of top actors in the Tamil film industry.

At least a dozen theatres in and around Chennai have scheduled shows between 4 am and 6 am without any hype.

Political observer and TV host Sumanth C Raman told DH that the usual craze for a Rajinikanth movie is missing for Kaala and he was not sure whether it was a deliberate strategy or it just happened.

“The hype is definitely much lower than what it was for Kabali or Endhiran. But you never know, things may either improve or go worse after the movie opens on Thursday. We will have to wait and watch till Thursday,” he said.

Industry watchers said producers should be appreciated for specifically asking exhibitors not to over-price ticket. “Rs 200 for a 4 am show of Rajinikanth is nothing short of a miracle. I am watching the movie at 4 am but there seems to be a deliberate attempt not to hype things,” the movie analyst said.

A look at websites of leading multiplexes in Chennai showed several tickets were available for shows on Saturday and Sunday — which is unusual for a Rajinikanth movie.