Muslims protesting against Kamal Haasan’s film Vishwaroopam hurled petrol bombs at two theatres in Tamil Nadu where the movie was scheduled to be screened on Wednesday following the High Court staying the ban imposed by the State Government. Petrol bombs were hurled at theatres in the Ramanathapuram district, 600 km from Chennai. There are no reports of injuries. Glass panes at the theatres were shattered.
Meanwhile, Kamal Haasan met with representatives of the Muslim community and later told newspersons that he had come to an amicable settlement over the dispute that rose from his using verses from the Quran in Vishwaroopam. “This film is not against Indian Muslims. It is in support of Indian Muslims. There seems to be some confusion over the use of Quranic verses and I am willing to edit out these references,” he said.
An emotional Kamal Haasan had said on Wednesday morning that he would be forced to leave the country if the ban on his film ‘Vishwaroopam’ was not lifted.
The Tamil Nadu Government had imposed a ban on the film after certain Muslim groups protested against it alleging that it portrayed the community in a negative light. The Rs 95 crore thriller was originally scheduled to release in Telugu and Tamil on January 25.
An emotional Haasan said Tamil Nadu does not want him to stay in the State and he might seek a “secular” place in the country or overseas.
“When MF Hussain can do it, Kamal Haasan will do it. I am fed up. I am an artist. After that, I will have to seek a secular state for my stay. There are secular States from Kashmir to Kerala, excluding Tamil Nadu. Tamil Nadu wants me out,” he said in a choked voice as the fate of the movie remains to be decided in court.
The actor said he had pledged all his property to make the trilingual movie, estimated to have cost around Rs 100 crore.
He said he might lose his house because of the losses incurred by the delay in the release of the movie.
Haasan said he was still to get interim relief as the film shows were “started and stopped” by police on Wednesday, who sought a physical copy of the single judge’s order passed on Tuesday night, giving clearance to the film.
“…But I believe that along with my Muslim friends, I have been instrument in a political game. I don’t know who is playing and not even hazarding the guess. The fact remains that my history has proven that I have been neither leaning to the left or right but trying to maintain my position,” Haasan said.
He said he would wait for the judgement of the Madras High Court where the Tamil Nadu Government on Wednesday moved swiftly to file an appeal against the interim relief given by the single judge.
“Now I shall wait for the afternoon judgement but after this… I think I will have to see a secular state for me to stay in. I have nothing to lose. I might as well choose a place which would house an artiste like me. “I will learn in another couple of days whether I will be able to find a secular state in India or not. I will find, hopefully, another country which is secular that might take me in,” Haasan said.
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