The Madras High Court on Tuesday ordered notice returnable by one week to the Tamil Film Producers Council and its president S. Thanu on a suit moved by actor Vishal assailing the council’s decision to suspend his membership for three months.
Justice M.M. Sundresh ordered the notice on the plea moved by Vishal praying the court to pass an interim injunction restraining Thanu from enforcing the suspension order dated November 14.
According to the actor, Tamil magazine Ananda Vikatan carried an article in its issue dated August 17 which contained his responses over a wide range of subjects, including his current films and the welfare activities being carried out for members of the South Indian Artists Association.
“Responding to one of the questions from the reporters seeking the reasons for the loss incurred by the producers alone, while others are able to earn profit, I stated that the callous and irresponsible attitude of the present office-bearers of the producers council is responsible for the situation. This particular reaction was also carried in the article,” Vishal said.
Claiming that the council had suspended him for his opinion on the office-bearers, he said, “The council has suspended me though there were no derogatory remarks neither against the council or its office-bearers. I received a notice on August 31 directing me to withdraw the comments made at the press briefing and also to tender an apology. But, I denied the allegations through a reply notice dated September 9.”
Noting that his views were made with the sole intention of highlighting the ills the film industry is facing, Vishal said persons occupying public office should be tolerant towards such remarks and take them in the right spirit and not escalate it.
