The uncertainty over the release of Vijay-starrer Kaththi on Deepavali day continues even as the producer, Ayngaran International, claimed to have met the demands of various Tamil outfits.
The latter had threatened to agitate against the film and called for its boycott.
Around 11 p.m. on Monday night, representatives of Ayngaran International announced that all issues regarding the film had been amicably settled and the film will release without any mention of Lyca Productions, alleged to have business links with Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa.
However, when asked to confirm the news, T. Velmurugan, leader of the Tamizhar Vazhvurimai Katchi, who had brought together several Tamil outfits against the release of the film, said that no communication had reached him about removing the Lyca banner from the movie’s titles.
“We were waiting till late in the night. No one has communicated anything to us. If the movie releases with Lyca in its banner, we will besiege the theatres. There is no question of any compromise,” said Mr. Velmurugan.
However, the representative of Ayngaran International said that all concerned parties had been duly intimated.
The Tamil groups had earlier demanded that all references to Lyca Productions be removed from the title and other publicity material.
They had said that it was unacceptable that a business house connected to Mr. Rajapaksa be allowed to produce a Tamil movie in the State when the Tamil Nadu Assembly, citing human rights violations during the civil war in the island nation, had already passed a resolution seeking severance of business ties with Sri Lanka.
The president of the Chennai Theatre Owners’ Association, Abhirami Ramanathan, had categorically said that they were unwilling to go ahead with the release if the Tamil outfits and the Ayngaran International couldn't reach a compromise.
Sources in the know had earlier said that while the producer had agreed to remove references to Lyca from the posters and publicity material, the negotiations had reached a deadlock about removing it from the title.
