A day after Tamil Nadu law minister warned of legal action against the movie Sarkar, a tweet by Sun Pictures that the Chennai Police was going to arrest AR Murugadoss, the director of the movie, late on Thursday, 8 November, created panic. However, when The News Minute contacted the police for information, they denied any such action.
Speaking to TNM, T-Nagar DCP said that regular patrol officers posted in the area were on their regular beat movement.
The news about the prospective arrest was first put out by the official Twitter handle of the movie’s producers, Sun Pictures.
The tweet came at the end of a day filled with protests across the state staged by the ruling AIADMK, which sought the removal of certain controversial scenes from the film.
A source with Sun Pictures insisted that the police had gone to Murugadoss' house with the intention of arresting the director.
But a senior police officer denied the claim, saying that there was no question of arrest as there is no FIR against the director. He added that the police wanted to check the security measures at the director's residence.
Director Murugadoss tweeted around midnight that the police had knocked on his door several times, thereby questioning the police's assertion that only personnel on beat duty were in the area. He also moved the Madras High Court seeking anticipatory bail. The plea is scheduled to be heard on Friday, 9 November, afternoon.
Superstar Rajinikanth weighed in on the controversy and condemned the incidents of vandalism against the film.
Actors Vishal and Kamal Haasan have also came out in support of the movie. Haasan said it was not new for the current government to apply undue pressure on a movie that criticises it.
Filmmakers Agree to Cut Scenes?
Tamil Nadu Minister RB Udhayakumar on Friday morning thanked the producers for agreeing to delete the controversial scenes in Sarkar. His statement came after unconfirmed media reports said that the makers of the film had agreed to remove or mute the contentious parts.
Speaking to reporters in Madurai, Udhayakumar said that the AIADMK cannot accept scenes that demean late Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa.
"As part of AIADMK I thank producers who agreed to delete scenes that criticize former CM Jayalalithaa. Even fans of Vijay will have freebies given by amma. The Film industry should be more careful in the future," he said.
What is the Controversy About?
On 7 November, the Information and Publicity Minister as well as the Law Minister of Tamil Nadu had warned against screening the film Sarkar that is currently running to packed screens across theatres in the state.
Speaking at a press conference on Wednesday, Minister Kadambur Raju had said, "People will not accept these political motives."
While conceding that there was no relationship between the state government and the Central Board of Film Certification, Raju, however, had said:
“But still, it has come to our attention. We will also take this to the attention of the Chief Minister. If they (the makers) remove these scenes, then it is good. If not, we will think of the next course of action.”Kadambur Raju, Minister for Information and Publicity, Tamil Nadu
About the actor who has been in the Tamil film industry for nearly three decades, Raju said, "It is not good for an upcoming actor like Vijay."
Speaking to TNM, Law Minister CV Shanmugam said that he was merely expressing his person opinion about the film.
“I strongly feel that all persons concerned with the film – the actors, producers, storytellers, theatre owners exhibiting the film – should be booked under the appropriate sections. I am not talking just about Vijay. Everyone has the right to criticise the government. But the film is inciting violence. That is a grave offence.”CV Shanmugam, Law Minister, Tamil Nadu
According to party sources, the AIADMK leaders had reportedly read reviews of the film that had called the film Vijay’s political launch pad. The film critiques the giving out of freebies following elections in the state, a practice that both major political parties in the state – the ruling AIADMK as well the DMK – have indulged in, in the past.
“Adding to this, Tamil news channels had also convened prime time debates on the topic, making it a big criticism of us. But even the DMK has given out freebies,” said one senior party member, explaining why the ministers were rattled.
The launch of the film in the city in October this year had also fuelled speculation of Vijay's political entry, with the actor making an unusually political speech.
When asked if he had plans to become the chief minister, the actor had said, “If I become the chief minister, then I won’t just act like one, but will do my job with sincerity.”
(With inputs from The News Minute and IANS)
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