Leo: No early morning shows for Lokesh Kanagaraj film in Tamil Nadu; Thalapathy Vijay fans rush to Bengaluru, Hyderabad

Tamil Nadu Home department on Wednesday denied permission for 7 a.m. screening of Tamil superstar, Thalapathy Vijay’s new movie, Leo awaiting a grand release on October 19. The state government had already allowed five shows from 9 a.m. to 1. 30 a.m. the next day.

On Tuesday, the Madras High Court had directed the producers of the movie to approach the state government regarding special screenings during early mornings. A meeting of the producers association, Tamil Nadu Movie Theater’s association and government officials was held this morning.

State Home secretary P. Amudha has written to Seven Screen Studios, the producers of the movie on the decision of the government and the inability to screen the movie at 7 a.m for the first six days from the release day. In the letter, she mentioned that the decision was taken after eliciting views from Tamil Nadu Theater and Multiplex owners association, the commissioner of Revenue administration and the Director General of Police.

The movie theaters association office-bearers informed the home secretary that they had made all arrangements for screening of four shows of the movie from 9 a.m onwards as per the directive from the government as also five shows for the first six days from October 19. The revenue administration secretary also informed the home secretary that there was a possibility of over crowding and traffic congestion affecting the normal public life as well as security if the screening was allowed before 9 am.

State police chief Shankar Jiwal also informed the home secretary that the police would have to provide security from 5 a.m. onward if the shows were permitted from 7 a.m. Huge crowds are expected to throng the theaters for the show and hence it would affect the traffic and hindrance to school-going children, the DGP said. He requested the home secretary to refuse permission for the 7 a.m. shows and the home secretary took a position that all five shows be held between 9 a.m. to 1.30 a.m. the next day.

With no early morning shows in Tamil Nadu, Thalapathy Vijay fans are now rushing to neighbouring South Indian cities such as Bengaluru, Hyderabad, and Kochi to catch the first day first show of Leo. It has become the most anticipated film after the filmmaker Lokesh Kanagaraj has introduced LCU (Lokesh Cinematic Universe) joining his 2022 blockbuster Vikram with his 2019 film Kaithi.

Now, moviegoers can't wait to see if Leo is also a part of LCU as the makers have neither confirmed nor denied such reports. The upcoming action entertainer marks the second collaboration between the actor and the filmmaker after their superhit film Master in 2021. An Anirudh Ravichander musical, Leo also stars Sanjay Dutt, Trisha, Gautham Vasudev Menon, and Priya Anand. (With inputs from IANS)

READ | Leo producer reveals why film won't release in Hindi in multiplexes, answers if Thalapathy Vijay-starrer is part of LCU