It was only by Thursday evening that multiplexes in Bengaluru began screening Kaala , the Rajinikanth-starrer, even as Kannada activists continued their sit-in dharna at several multiplexes. The film’s distributors claimed the screenings would be smooth sailing in the coming days, but members of various Kannada organisations have threatened to continue their protests on Friday. “The film is being screened only in a few multiplexes and not in single screens yet. But, we will not give up our protests till the screenings are stopped,” Sa.Ra. Govind, Kannada activist and chairman of the Karnataka Film Chamber of Commerce (KFCC), told The Hindu at a sit-in protest in Mantri Mall, Malleswaram, on Thursday night.
Anxious Rajinikanth fans had queued up before theatres that were scheduled to screen the film early on Thursday, as exhibitors had not taken prior bookings in the State. However, their wait was only prolonged as exhibitors cancelled all shows till afternoon.
Several malls had put up wire nets to protect the glass facade anticipating stone-pelting. However, there was no violence reported in any part of the State.
But, scenes in front of several theatres in Bengaluru appeared tense as protesters and Rajinikanth fans entered into heated argument over the banning of the film. The protesters were appealing to the people not to see the film. At Orion Mall, Rajajinagar, a fan, Palanivel, 55, argued that while he was also supportive of the Cauvery issue, there was no point in banning the film. He was seen urging the theatre management and the police to start the show as scheduled.
Except in Ballari, where the Telugu version of the film was screened, and in Mangaluru, where the film had a free run, protests marred screenings of the film in the rest of the State. Shows were cancelled in Hubballi, Raichur, Mysuru, Chamarajanagar, Shivamogga, and other tier II cities, after protests. Though the police had provided security, exhibitors were apprehensive of protesters barging into the premises or buying tickets and protesting in the cinema hall, forcing them to cancel shows. By 2.30 p.m., multiplex theatres began screening the film. In Bengaluru, Kannada activists, led by Vatal Nagaraj, president, Kannada Okkoota, and Mr. Govind and Praveen Shetty of Karnataka Rakshana Vedike, along with several of their followers, were detained by the police following sit-in protests in front of theatres in Mantri Mall, Malleswaram, and later at Orion Mall, Rajajinagar.
Mr. Nagaraj threatened protests on Friday as well. “Let the police detain us for protesting. Kannada activists will come out and protest again tomorrow. Not only Kaala , Kannada organisations will not allow any film starring Rajinikanth, as he is anti-Kannada, anti-Cauvery,” he said. Meanwhile, Mr. Govind has come under much criticism. “The KFCC, an industry body, cannot lead protests to ban a film. Let him resign from the chairman’s post and continue his activism,” said Kanakapura Srinivas, one of the distributors of the film in the State.
He claimed that the initial hurdles had been overcome and exhibitors had taken to screening the film. “Now online booking for the film has also begun. By Friday, we expect the film to have a full release in more than 200 screens,” he claimed.
Heading to Hosur
Fans of Rajinikanth, disappointed that the film was not showing on Thursday morning, hit the road to Hosur to catch the film there. Muthukumar, a student, who wanted see it at Urvashi theatre in Bengaluru, was disappointed that the show was cancelled. Within an hour, he and five of his friends took a taxi to Hosur, where the film was being screened without hurdles. He was not alone. Many from the city had the same idea, but most of them had to return disappointed there too as they couldn’t get tickets in the few theatres in the border town, a fan said.
