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No takers for ‘Madras Cafe’ in Tamil Nadu

RPK

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No takers for ‘Madras Cafe’ in Tamil Nadu - Livemint

Theatres in Tamil Nadu not willing to release the film fearing protests from some Tamil nationalist groups

Chennai: Despite the censor board’s clearance for the Tamil version of John Abraham-starrer Madras Cafe without any cuts, the film has found no takers among cinema hall exhibitors in Tamil Nadu for release on Friday. A ban had been sought by various political parties and supporters of Tamil Eelam who say the film demeans the struggle of Tamilians in Sri Lanka.
The Hindu on Friday reported that a representative of Viacom18 Media Pvt. Ltd, which co-produced the thriller along with Abraham, said the Tamil version had got a ‘U/A’ certificate. However, none of the theatres in the state was willing to release the film in the wake of threats of protests from some Tamil nationalist groups.
Almost all major exhibitors had scheduled other films for the week ahead and opened advance bookings for them, keeping Madras Cafe out of the list. A cinema hall operator said on condition of anonymity that the risk of screening the film was “simply not worth taking”.
Madras Cafe, directed by Shoojit Sricar, stars John Abraham as an Indian intelligence agent in Sri Lanka during the civil war between the government and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) in the late 1980s and early 1990s.
The Madras high court on Wednesday had asked the makers of Madras Cafe not to release the film (Tamil version) without getting permission from the film certification board after a public interest litigation (PIL) petition was filed by advocate B. Stalin seeking a ban on the film’s release in Tamil Nadu.
Interestingly, despite all the controversies surrounding the film, Tamil Nadu chief minister and chief of All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) J. Jayalalithaa has not yet articulated the state’s decision in this matter.
In a statement two days ago, Dravid Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) chief and former Tamil Nadu chief minister M. Karunanidhi had said: “It is said that the film (Madras Cafe) has been made in such a way as to insult the freedom fighters of Tamil Eelam. This has to be verified by the Tamil Nadu government and proper action should be taken.”
Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (MDMK) chief Vaiko and the Naam Tamilar Katchi (We Tamils) leader Seeman have already sought a ban on the film.
 
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