High Court orders protection for screening of Rajinikanth’s ‘Kaala’ in the state

Team Udayavani, Jun 6, 2018, 9:03 AM IST

Bengaluru: The Karnataka High Court on Tuesday requested that the state government give security to theaters wanting to screen Tamil star Rajinikanth’s “Kaala” from Thursday. 

Justice G. Narendar’s interim order went ahead a petition recorded on Monday by the movie’s producer Dhanush and director Aishwarya, looking for its course for police security to exhibitors from star Kannada activists, who contradicted the film’s screening to protest the megastar’s ongoing comments on the sharing of the Cauvery river water amongst Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. 

Dhanush is Rajinikanth’s son in-law and Aishwarya is his daughter. 

State Additional Advocate General A.G. Shivanna told the court during the hearing that the state government did not boycott the screening of the film but rather the exhibitors and distributors had willfully chosen not to screen it to avoid peace issue. 

He additionally guaranteed the court that the state government would give security to theaters screening the film in the state. 

The court additionally guided the petitioners to submit names of distributors who purchased the film’s rights and list of exhibitors prepared to screen it under security. 

The petition additionally requested the court to limit the Karnataka Film Chamber of Commerce (KFCC) from preventing the film release in the state. 

“It our fundamental right under Article 19 (1) to show the movie ensured under the Cinematograph Act, 1952 by the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC),” said the petitioners. 

The appeal to likewise alluded to the May 30 explanation by KFCC President Sa Ra Govindu that a decision was taken not to appropriate or screen “Kaala” in the state in challenge Rajinikanth’s perspectives on the Cauvery debate, requesting that Karnataka follow the Supreme Court’s request on discharging the river water to Tamil Nadu. 

In the mean time, state Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy said it was not right to screen the film in perspective of the prevailing public sentiment  against Rajinikanth’s statements on the sensitive issue of Cauvery.