A sea of fans gathered outside actor Kamal Haasan’s residence on Wednesday to express their solidarity.
They raised impassioned slogans but their zeal was tinged with anxiety over the Madras High Court order that brought back the ban on Vishwaroopam .
The crowd untiringly erupted in raucous chorus every time the actor’s Alwarpet residence had a visitor. The steady stream of guests was mostly from the Tamil film industry, which turned out in strength to extend support to the actor.
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Director Mani Ratnam came in the afternoon and spent a few hours at Kamal’s residence.
Actors Radhika and Sivakumar too paid a visit.
Actor brothers Suriya and Karthi were at the actor’s residence on Wednesday night and Sarathkumar too was expected to make a visit.
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Even after the actor sent across a message saying he would address the media only next Wednesday, the crowd outside his house and across the street refused to disperse.
Holding banners and placards, the crowds swelled on Eldams Road and the traffic police had to form a human chain to keep the supporters from spilling on to the entire stretch of the road.
The producer Ramkumar Ganesan left Kamal’s residence in the evening, and a few minutes later, Congress MP J.M. Haroon made an exit.
Members from the Sunnath Jamaath Aikkia Peravai also visited the actor. Actors Prabhu, Sneha, Prasanna, Silambarasan, Sibiraj and Ashwin Shekar too came to lend their support.
Late in the day, Kamal appealed to his fans to maintain calm. His brother Chandra Haasan, while addressing the media in the evening, said they would take further decisions only after Wednesday, when the next hearing is scheduled.
He said there had always been support from the film industry, and that some of the actors and filmmakers were moved after Kamal’s speech on Wednesday afternoon.
He made an appeal against hooliganism and violence, and urged fans to maintain peace and order. He said that every effort would be made to release the film.