It was a typical day to mark the release of a Rajinikanth film. Rajinikanth fans across the country thronged to theatres that were playing his latest blockbuster Kaala. Barring Karnataka where the movie has not been released due to the Cauvery issue and the actor's statements, other places witnessed what many call organised mayhem.
Fans waited all night getting ready to watch the first day first show, which began with them doing the milk ceremony for the poster. See the pictures below
Earlier, in some respite for the movie, the Tamil Nadu government granted permission for all the theatres screening Kaala to conduct a special show from June 7 to June 10. The movie releasing in over 500 screens in Tamil Nadu has witnessed lacklustre response for the ticket bookings.
If one goes by online ticket bookings trend, people can still find tickets available for the weekends, which is unusual for a Rajini movie.
Despite the missing hype around the superstar movie, Rajinikanth's fans are prepared for the release of his movie after two years by erecting cut outs and banners beside decorating the theatres with festoons. The opening show of the Kaala begins as early as 4 am in some of the theatres in the city outskirts with full attendance.
"I have not done any mistake. Please do not disturb those who want to watch the movie. I request your cooperation," he said in Kannada outside his Poes Garden residence.
The 67-year-old actor expressed surprise over the stand of the Karnataka Film Chamber of Commerce which is siding with the fringe groups seeking ban on his movie. The chamber has to ensure protection of interests of film producers and distributors, he noted.
“I want to tell those who are protesting against the release of the movie that I had asked Karnataka to abide by the Cauvery Management Board, which is a Supreme Court ruling. I don't know what is wrong in it,” he said. "I also told dams must be administered by the board," he said, adding the efforts to stall the release of the movie "do not seem right".
On Tuesday, Karnataka High Court has directed the state government to provide necessary security for peaceful release of Kaala which pro-Kannada groups threatened to stall over the actor’s remarks on Cauvery issue. Chief minister Kumaraswamy had requested the distributor of Kaala not to release it in "this kind of atmosphere," but said his government would follow the high court order on the issue.
Meanwhile, the Madras High Court also gave a go ahead and refused to stall the release of Kaala on the allegation that it portrays the family of Mumbai don Thiraviyam Nadar in a bad light.
The petitioner J Muthuramesh said that Thiraviyam Nadar moved to Mumbai in 1956 and helped many Tamils who migrated to that city. Claiming that Thiraviyam Nadar was at one point respected as a leader of a section of Tamils settled in Mumbai including in the slums of Dharavi, the petitioner said the director of the movie Pa Ranjith had made the film based on the life of Thiraviyam and portrayed him and his family in bad light. He sought the court's interference to stall the movie’s release.
