Vishwaroopam controversies

Last updated

The 2013 Indian film Vishwaroopam was the subject of several controversies. One of the issues was related to its title. The Hindu Makkal Katchi party demanded the change from its current Sanskrit title to a purely Tamil one. [1] When Kamal Haasan announced a direct-to-home (DTH) film premiere, theatre owners became upset and demanded a rollback of this plan. The theatre owners feared losing out on box office revenue if people didn't have to go to the theatre for the premiere. Threatened by a complete theatre boycott of Vishwaroopam, Haasan agreed to release the film in theatre first. [2]

Contents

Muslim groups in Tamil Nadu also demanded the film be banned and claimed that the film would hurt Muslim sentiments. [3] Although the film was cleared by the Central Board of Film Certification of India, district collectors in the state of Tamil Nadu issued orders to the theatre owners not to screen Vishwaroopam, citing law and order problems. However, the film was released in other states with greater Muslim populations than in Tamil Nadu. [4] The ban in Tamil Nadu triggered the stop of screenings in neighbouring Indian states as well as a few foreign markets. [5]

The film fraternity of India condemned the actions of Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu Jayalalitha in censoring the movie as an attack on freedom of speech in India, [6] but she denied all of the allegations against her regarding political and business interests. [7] After persistent pressure to cut the film's allegedly objectionable scenes, Kamal Haasan said that he could be forced to leave the state of Tamil Nadu and India. The reason is said to be that he was "fed up at being played around in a dirty political game". [8] He estimated the loss of revenues due to banning policies somewhere between ₹300–600 million. [9] A mutual agreement with the Muslims of Tamil Nadu was finally settled on 2 February 2013, when Haasan agreed to mute five scenes. [10]

Title

In June 2012, the film faced trouble with the Hindu Makkal Katchi, who demanded changing the title. They claimed that Vishwaroopam was a Sanskrit word rather than a Tamil word. They argued that Kamal Haasan was against his native language – Tamil – by naming the film in another language, citing, "Kamal Haasan, who has been in the industry for more than half a century, must be an example for young film-makers to take up Tamil titles for their films." [1] The same political party had earlier protested against the song "Kannodu Kannai Kalandhal" in Haasan's Manmadan Ambu (2010), following which it was removed from the film. [11] [12]

Direct-to-home release

Vishwaroopam was about to see its premiere on direct-broadcast satellite, or direct-to-home (DTH), platforms, wherein Haasan had roped in many DTH operators for the simultaneous release on DTH along with the theatrical release. [13] However, it was later reported that the concept would be dropped after the Tamil Nadu theatre organisations protested against such a television release. [14] Reports again emerged that Haasan is keen on releasing Vishwaroopam on the DTH platform, stating, "If only three percent of the population in Tamil Nadu use DTH services, then how much loss can one show of my film possibly cause the producers or theatre owners?". He also added that it would be a one-time show, a few hours before the film releases in theatres, and cost approximately ₹1,000 (US$12). [15] [16] Talks with theatre owners ended in a compromise, where the DTH version would be released one week after the theatrical release in Tamil and Telugu and one day after its release in Hindi in North India, on 2 February. [2] However, Haasan filed a complaint at the Competition Commission of India against the Tamil Nadu Theatre Owners Association for "anti-competitive practices" in restricting the release of Vishwaroopam. The CCI ordered a probe by its investigation arm Director General as a comparable prima facie case exists. [17]

Depiction of Muslims

Protests and banning

Islamic organizations had earlier demanded that the film be screened to them before its release, expressing concern over the depiction of the community in the movie. Haasan had organized a special film screening for them following their demand. [3] The screening of the film had been put on hold for 15 days by the government of Tamil Nadu under Section 144 of the Indian Criminal Procedure Code due to persistent allegations made by Islamic organisations, including the Tamil Nadu Muslim Munnetra Kazagham (TMMK), [18] while negotiations are still in progress. [19] TMMK leader M. H. Jawahirullah claimed, [20] "There is a danger that the public may view any Muslim with a beard as a terrorist waiting for an opportunity to plant a bomb." Kamal Haasan released a protest note, criticising them for using an "icon bashing" tactic to profile themselves politically. Contrary to Jawahirullah, he also stated that the film would give Muslims a sense of pride. [21]

Haasan took the matter to the Madras High Court, seeking an immediate rollback of the government ban based on the approval by the Central Board of Film Certification. [22] However, Justice K. Venkatraman stayed the screening of Vishwaroopam until 28 January, delaying the release in Tamil Nadu for three days, to review the film. [23] [24] [25] The Madras High Court upheld the ban in Tamil Nadu on 30 January 2013. [26] [27] It was suggested that the judge was awaiting the result of Haasan's other case against District collectors, who gave orders to ban the film's release. [28] [29] The Andhra Pradesh government stopped the screening in Hyderabad and other areas where the Milad-un-Nabi festival is celebrated by Muslims. [30] In contrast, a precautionary stop of screenings was enacted by the distributor in Bangalore in light of Tamil Nadu's ban. [31] Kerala saw an unlimited release of the film, although some Muslim outfits were reportedly arrested by the police of Kerala for disrupting screenings. [4] In Thiruvananthapuram, a group of supporters of the Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI) took a protest demonstration at the theatre complex. [32]

The film was later confirmed to be released on 26 January in Hyderabad and on 27 January in 25 theatres across Karnataka, including 15 in Bangalore. [33] [34] Despite protests, Vishwaroopam was screened in Karnataka on 26 January 2013. Protests disrupted film screenings in some parts of Mysore, Bangalore, and Shimoga districts. [35] However, Vishwaroopam was taken off theatres across Karnataka following a police advisory. [36] Meanwhile, theatres in Malaysia and Sri Lanka removed the film, citing the ban in Tamil Nadu. [37] [38] [39] The film was released in Uttar Pradesh, where leaders initially reserved a possible ban for the film without any major incidents.[ spelling? ] [40]

Haasan said he would file a petition in the Supreme Court to overturn the ban. Haasan expressed grief during a press conference he held at his residence, which he had pawned as part of securing the budget for Vishwaroopam. At the widely broadcast press conference, he referenced filmmaker M. F. Husain when he stated his intent to emigrate from Tamil Nadu to another secular state or country. [41] Kamal Haasan said, "I mean no harm. The film is not about hurting Muslims. The good Muslims in the films are Indians, and the bad Muslims are terrorists who are not from India. How can I paint terrorist...terrorism white." [42] For further talks, the Muslim party demanded a film cut of around nine minutes. [43] Chief Minister Jayalalithaa defended the government's action, stating it was not in a position to provide security across all 524 theatres where it was to be screened from 25 January. A mutual agreement was finally settled on 2 February 2013, when Haasan agreed to mute five scenes. [10] The Malaysian government would meet with the distributor of Vishwaroopam to find a solution to lift the ban. [44] [45] The National Censorship Board and the Malaysian Islamic Development Department reviewed the film, and the Home Ministry lifted the ban on 19 February 2013. [46]

Reactions from Indian filmmakers

These developments have been widely criticised by several filmmakers and politicians alike. Backing Kamal Haasan, Rajinikanth stated,

"The fact that Kamal Haasan held a special screening of the movie to Muslim brothers meeting their demand despite being cleared by the Censor Board shows his respect for the community. Kamal is not an ordinary artiste. He is a great artiste who has taken Tamil cinema to the global level. I request my Muslim brothers to factor in this and change their stand of demanding for a complete ban". [47]

Leela Samson, chairperson of the Central Board of Film Certification, condemned the allegations of the film being anti-Islamic stating that:

"It is clearly cultural terrorism and the demand for a ban shows complete disregard to the certification given by a statutory body called the Censor Board. My team would have taken action if only the film had any objectionable content. A film goes through several levels before getting passed by the Censor Board". [48]

Shah Rukh Khan, who also faced obstructions during the release of Billu Barber (2009) and My Name is Khan (2010) and whose Red Chillies VFX was responsible for Vishwaroopam's visual effects, expressed sympathies for Haasan's situation, stated that a ban is "the most unfortunate thing to happen to a film." [49] The banning of Vishwaroopam was deemed "unfair" by Prakash Raj, who stated that "cultural terrorism should stop." [50] The film's ban was decried by Ajith Kumar, who questioned whether India was "a secular nation or being played based the vote bank politics." [51] Fellow filmmaker Bharathiraja compared Haasan to the likes of Bharathiyar for his bold statements on social issues in his films. [52] Demonstrating solidarity, Vijay and the crew of Thalaivaa halted filming until the release of Vishwaroopam in Tamil Nadu. [53] Actor-director R. Parthiban stated that "people are the best judges and that they should decide on whether the film is against a community." [52] Filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt said that the humiliation of an "immaculate actor" and "national treasure" is "one of the darkest moments for the entire film fraternity." [49]

Other individuals who expressed their disapproval of the film's ban include Sushilkumar Shinde, [49] Aamir Khan, [54] Anubhav Sinha, [50] Manoj Bajpayee, [50] Siddharth, [50] R. Madhavan, [55] Dhanush, [48] A. R. Murugadoss, Linguswamy, Ameer Sultan, Muktha Srinivasan, Salman Rushdie, Deepa Mehta, Salman Khan, [56] Abhishek Bachchan, Chitrangda Singh, [57] Amitabh Bachchan, Farhan Akhtar, [58] Akshay Kumar, Mahesh Babu, Pawan Kalyan, Anupam Kher, [59] Karan Johar, A. Samad Said, Madhur Bhandarkar, Shabana Azmi, Shyam Benegal and Ketan Mehta. Film critic Baradwaj Rangan mentioned, "This film glorifies Islam, portraying the Muslim as an upstanding specimen who won’t think twice before punishing a wrongdoer from his faith." [60]

Political response

Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam president M. Karunanidhi alleged that the inactivity of the J. Jayalalitha administration on the film is the result of wrath over Kamal Haasan who had recently expressed his opinion "on wanting to see a dhoti-clad Tamilian" for prime minister at a function in Chennai. The comment was made at a function attended by Finance Minister P. Chidambaram and Karunanidhi. [61] [62] Karunanidhi accused Jayalalithaa of being involved in a conflict of interest; Jaya TV, a television network closely associated with the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, had previously placed a bid on the satellite distribution rights for Vishwaroopam, which Haasan declined citing a low offer. [61] [62]

Jayalalitha justified the ban to maintain law and order based on intelligence reports and said that there was no political motive behind the move. [63] She also offered support from the government to facilitate talks to see the release of the film [64] and said she would sue Karunanidhi and the media for maligning her on the issue. [65]

Other issues

Tamil Nadu Brahmin Association (TAMBRAS) filed a complaint with the City police commissioner that the film contained scenes that offended the community and requested to be removed. [66] A petition asking for a nationwide ban on screening the film citing some of the scenes offending the Christian community was dismissed by the Madras High Court. [67] Director Ameer stated that Vishwaroopam portrayed Talibans as "cruel and inhumane. At the same time, according to him, they were actually "helpless citizens fighting for the right of their own country," an issue that was not debated about. He compared the Taliban to the Sri Lankan Tamil militant group, the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), saying, "Just like how Prabhakaran and his associates fought for their Eelam rights, the Taliban fight for their country. And similar to how it is an injustice to the Eelam if we were to portray them as raw terrorists, it is equally absurd of Vishwaroopam to have portrayed Taliban as mad destroyers". [68]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kamal Haasan</span> Indian actor, activist and politician (born 1954)

Parthasarathy Srinivasan, known professionally as Kamal Haasan, is an Indian actor, film director, film producer, screenwriter, choreographer, playback singer, lyricist, television presenter, social activist and politician who works in Tamil cinema. Besides Tamil films, he has also appeared in some Malayalam, Telugu, Hindi, Kannada and Bengali films. Considered as one of the greatest and most respected actors in Indian cinema, Haasan is also known for introducing many new innovations to the Indian film industry. He has won numerous accolades, including four National Film Awards, nine Tamil Nadu State Film Awards, four Nandi Awards, one Rashtrapati Award, two Filmfare Awards and eighteen Filmfare Awards South. He was awarded the Kalaimamani Award in 1984, the Padma Shri in 1990, the Padma Bhushan in 2014 and the Order of Arts and Letters (Chevalier) in 2016.

<i>Anbe Sivam</i> 2003 Indian Tamil-language comedy-drama film by Sundar C.

Anbe Sivam is a 2003 Indian Tamil-language slice-of-life drama film directed by Sundar C and produced by K. Muralitharan, V. Swaminathan and G. Venugopal under the banner of Lakshmi Movie Makers. The film was written by Kamal Haasan, and Madhan provided the dialogues. Anbe Sivam stars Haasan, Madhavan and Kiran Rathod, with Nassar, Santhana Bharathi, Seema and Uma Riyaz Khan playing supporting characters. The film tells the story of Nallasivam and Anbarasu, two men of contrasting personalities who undertake an unexpected journey from Bhubaneswar to Chennai.

<i>Dasavathaaram</i> 2008 film directed by K. S. Ravikumar

Dasavathaaram is a 2008 Indian Tamil-language science fiction period action film directed by K. S. Ravikumar, written by Kamal Haasan and produced by V. Ravichandran under Aascar Film Pvt. Ltd. It stars Kamal Haasan in ten distinct roles, alongside an ensemble cast of Asin, Jaya Prada, Mallika Sherawat, K. R. Vijaya, Rekha Harris, Nagesh, P. Vasu, Raghuram, Napoleon and M. S. Bhaskar. In the film, a biotechnology scientist named Govind is forced to steal a vial containing a deadly bioweapon from his corrupt boss, who intended to sell it to a terrorist nation, and keep it contained. All the while, Govind is hunted by an American mercenary named Christian Fletcher, an Indian police officer named Balram Naidu, and a set of dark events. Several other people also get involved in Govind’s journey and all their stories connect after the striking of 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami, thus bringing philosophical views into the picture. The film incorporates numerous themes and philosophies, including chaos theory, butterfly effect, existence of God, casteism, Islamophobia, Vaishnavism, and determinism.

<i>Marudhanayagam</i> Unfinished Tamil film by Kamal Haasan

Marudhanayagam is an unfinished Indian historical drama film directed and produced by Kamal Haasan under his Raaj Kamal Films International banner. The script was co-written by Haasan, along with novelist Sujatha, and the pair started work on the project in late 1991. Following a test shoot in mid-1997, the film was officially launched at a ceremony held at MGR Film City, Chennai during October 1997.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tamil cinema</span>

Tamil cinema is the segment of Indian cinema dedicated to the production of motion pictures in the Tamil language, the main spoken language in the state of Tamil Nadu. It is nicknamed Kollywood, a portmanteau of the names Kodambakkam, a neighbourhood in Chennai, and Hollywood.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kamal Haasan filmography</span>

Kamal Haasan is an Indian actor, film director, film producer, screenwriter and dance choreographer who works primarily in Tamil cinema. At the age of 5, he debuted as a child actor in the 1960 Tamil film Kalathur Kannamma, directed by A. Bhimsingh, which won him the President's Gold Medal. Since then, he has acted in over 230 films in Tamil and other languages including Malayalam, Telugu, Hindi, Kannada, and Bengali. After a few projects as a child artist, he took a break to continue his education. He later concentrated on dance choreography and worked as an assistant choreographer. During this time, he made uncredited appearances in a few films which he worked on.

<i>Parasakthi</i> (film) 1952 film by Krishnan–Panju

Parasakthi is a 1952 Indian Tamil-language satirical drama film directed by Krishnan–Panju and written by M. Karunanidhi. The film stars Sivaji Ganesan, S. V. Sahasranamam, S. S. Rajendran, Sriranjani Jr., and Pandari Bai. It is the cinematic acting debut of Ganesan and Rajendran. Based on Pavalar Balasundaram's play of the same name, Parasakthi narrates the misfortunes that befall the members of a Tamil family during World War II.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Raaj Kamal Films International</span> Indian film studio

Raaj Kamal Films International is an Indian film production and distribution company founded and headed by Kamal Haasan. Raja Paarvai (1981) was the first film to be produced by them under the banner "Haasan Brothers" before renaming it to Raaj Kamal Films International.

<i>Vishwaroopam</i> 2013 film directed by Kamal Haasan

Vishwaroopam is a 2013 Indian action spy film co-written, directed and produced by Kamal Haasan, who also enacts the lead role. The film also stars Rahul Bose, Shekhar Kapur, Pooja Kumar, Andrea Jeremiah, Nassar and Jaideep Ahlawat in supporting roles. The film's script was written by Kamal Hassan, Chakri Toleti and Atul Tiwari. In the film, Nirupama, an ambitious woman studying in the US, marries a coward classical dancer, Viswanathan. On being suspicious of his behaviour, she hires a detective, who reveals his true identity and past.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">M. H. Jawahirullah</span> Indian politician

Dr. Prof. M. H. Jawahirullah is an Indian politician currently elected as a member of Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly 2021 from Papanasam Constituency and a former member of the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly from the Ramanathapuram constituency. He represents the Manithaneya Makkal Katchi party, of which he is the founding member and present leader. He is also the member of Tamil Nadu Muslim Munnetra Kazagham.

<i>Vishwaroopam</i> (soundtrack) 2012 soundtrack album by Shankar–Ehsaan–Loy

Vishwaroopam is the soundtrack album, composed by the music trio Shankar–Ehsaan–Loy, for the Tamil film of the same name, directed by Kamal Haasan. The album features five tracks, with lyrics penned by Vairamuthu and Kamal Hassan himself. The soundtrack's Hindi version Vishwaroop, has lyrics penned by Javed Akhtar.

<i>Vishwaroopam II</i> 2018 film by Kamal Haasan

Vishwaroopam II, or Vishwaroop II, is a 2018 Indian action spy film written and directed by Kamal Haasan and co-written by Atul Tiwari and Chakri Toleti. It is the sequel to Vishwaroopam (2013) and features Kamal Haasan alongside Rahul Bose, Shekhar Kapur, Pooja Kumar and Andrea Jeremiah, reprising their roles. While the first film was set in the United States, Vishwaroopam II takes place in India. The film was simultaneously shot in Tamil and Hindi.

<i>Uttama Villain</i> 2015 film by Ramesh Aravind

Uttama Villain is a 2015 Indian Tamil-language comedy drama film directed by Ramesh Aravind and written by Kamal Haasan. The film was presented by N. Lingusamy in association with Kamal Haasan and produced by S. Chandrahasan for Raaj Kamal Films International and N. Subash Chandrabose for Thirupathi Brothers Film Media. It features an ensemble cast that includes Kamal Hassan, K. Viswanath, K. Balachander, Jayaram, Andrea Jeremiah, Pooja Kumar, Nassar, Parvathy Thiruvothu and Urvashi in prominent roles. This is the posthumous film of actor and director, K. Balachander following his death in December 2014.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Akshara Haasan</span> Indian actress

Akshara Haasan is an Indian actress who has appeared in Tamil and Hindi-language films. The daughter of actors Kamal Haasan and Sarika Thakur, and the younger sister of Shruti Haasan, she made her film debut with the comedy drama Shamitabh (2015), and later appeared in Kadaram Kondan (2019).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chandrahasan</span> Indian film producer (1937–2017)

Chandrahasan Srinivasan was an Indian film producer and actor from Tamil Nadu.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2018 Tamil Nadu protests for Kaveri water sharing</span> Dispute on Cauvery river water sharing

The 2018 Kaveri River water sharing protests are a series of ongoing protests on the issue of water sharing problems from the River Kaveri between Tamil Nadu and Karnataka which are two states in India. The Kaveri water dispute has been a major controversial issue between Tamil Nadu and Karnataka over the years and the issue has been raised further with protests have been conducted across the state of Tamil Nadu by several groups including from the large pile of actors and directors who have temporarily stopped working on their projects, films over the Karnataka's sharing the Kaveri water to Tamil Nadu. The delay in establishing a Cauvery Management Board in order to share equal river share award has sparked off protests in Tamil Nadu against the Karnataka state government.

<i>Vikram</i> (2022 film) 2022 film directed by Lokesh Kanagaraj

Vikram is a 2022 Indian Tamil-language action thriller film directed by Lokesh Kanagaraj and produced by Raaj Kamal Films International. The film stars Kamal Haasan in the titular role, alongside Vijay Sethupathi, Fahadh Faasil, Suriya, Narain, Kalidas Jayaram, Gayathrie, Chemban Vinod Jose, Santhana Bharathi and Elango Kumaravel. It is the second instalment in the Lokesh Cinematic Universe and is a spiritual successor to the 1986 film of the same name. The film follows Vikram, the former commander of a black-ops squad's pilot batch, and his efforts to take down Sandhanam, the runner of a drug syndicate Vetti Vagaiyara.

T. N. Balu was an Indian writer, director and producer who worked in Tamil cinema. He was active in the second half of the 1900s, and shared a close association with the former chief ministers of Tamil Nadu Karunanidhi.

References

  1. 1 2 "Kamal's Vishwaroopam in trouble". Behindwoods. 23 June 2012. Archived from the original on 4 July 2012. Retrieved 31 January 2013.
  2. 1 2 "'Vishwaroopam' DTH release on February 2: Kamal". The Hindu . 14 January 2013. Archived from the original on 17 January 2013. Retrieved 24 January 2013.
  3. 1 2 "Screening of Kamal's film will affect social harmony". The Hindu. 22 January 2013. Archived from the original on 25 January 2013. Retrieved 22 January 2013.
  4. 1 2 "Protest groups disrupt Vishwaroopam shows in Kerala". Rediff.com . 25 January 2013. Archived from the original on 28 January 2013. Retrieved 25 January 2013.
  5. ↑ "Let Malaysians watch Vishwaroopam, appeals ethnic Indian party". Daily News & Analysis. 31 January 2013. Archived from the original on 2 February 2013. Retrieved 31 January 2013.
  6. ↑ "State govt trampling Kamal Haasan's freedom of expression: Mahesh Bhatt". Hindustan Times. 30 January 2013. Archived from the original on 29 September 2013. Retrieved 31 January 2013.
  7. ↑ "Jayalalithaa justifies ban on 'Vishwaroopam'". The Hindu. 31 January 2013. Archived from the original on 2 February 2013. Retrieved 31 January 2013.
  8. ↑ "Kamal Haasan to leave India?". Behindwoods. Archived from the original on 3 February 2013. Retrieved 31 January 2013.
  9. ↑ "Delayed release of Vishwaroopam caused Rs60-crore loss: Kamal Haasan". Daily News & Analysis. Archived from the original on 3 February 2013. Retrieved 31 January 2013.
  10. 1 2 "'Vishwaroopam' row settled: Kamal Haasan agrees to edit 7 scenes". NDTV. 2 February 2013. Archived from the original on 3 February 2013. Retrieved 2 February 2013.
  11. ↑ "Title trouble for Kamal Haasan's 'Viswaroopam'". IBNLive . 24 June 2012. Archived from the original on 28 June 2012. Retrieved 1 February 2013.
  12. ↑ "Title trouble?". Deccan Chronicle . 22 June 2012. Archived from the original on 27 June 2012. Retrieved 17 February 2013.
  13. ↑ "Vishwaroopam on DTH first!". The Times of India . 6 December 2012. Archived from the original on 26 January 2013. Retrieved 6 December 2012.
  14. ↑ "Kamal to release Viswaroopam himself". The Times of India . 5 December 2012. Archived from the original on 26 January 2013. Retrieved 8 December 2012.
  15. ↑ "Vishwaroopam' to first release on DTH". The Indian Express . Indo-Asian News Service. 10 December 2012. Archived from the original on 7 April 2013. Retrieved 10 December 2012.
  16. ↑ "Will you pay Rs 1000 to watch Kamal's Vishwaroopam?". Firstpost . 10 December 2012. Archived from the original on 13 December 2012. Retrieved 10 December 2012.
  17. ↑ "Competition Commission begins probe into Kamal's complaint". The Hindu . 1 March 2013. Archived from the original on 4 March 2013. Retrieved 1 March 2013.
  18. ↑ "Breaking News: Official BAN on Vishwaroopam's release!". Behindwoods. Archived from the original on 25 January 2013. Retrieved 23 January 2013.
  19. ↑ "Kamal Haasan's Vishwaroopam to be banned in Tamil Nadu". NDTV. 23 January 2013. Archived from the original on 28 July 2020. Retrieved 23 January 2013.
  20. ↑ "Fresh trouble for Vishwaroopam". Behindwoods. Archived from the original on 25 January 2013. Retrieved 23 January 2013.
  21. ↑ "Haasan: Vishwaroopam is not against my Muslim brothers". Rediff.com . 24 January 2013. Archived from the original on 26 January 2013. Retrieved 24 January 2013.
  22. ↑ "Kamal Haasan moves court against 'Vishwaroopam' ban, order later today". NDTV. 24 January 2013. Archived from the original on 27 January 2013. Retrieved 24 January 2013.
  23. ↑ "Breaking news: Madras HC stays 'Vishwaroopam' release till Jan 28". IndiaGlitz. Archived from the original on 27 January 2013. Retrieved 24 January 2013.
  24. ↑ "Madras HC stays release of Kamal Haasan's 'Vishwaroopam' till January 28". IBNLive. Archived from the original on 27 January 2013. Retrieved 24 January 2013.
  25. ↑ Subramanian, Karthik (24 January 2013). "Madras High Court to take a call on Vishwaroopam release on January 28". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 27 January 2013. Retrieved 24 January 2013.
  26. ↑ "'Vishwaroopam': Madras HC upholds ban, Kamal Haasan to move SC". The Times of India . 30 January 2013. Archived from the original on 5 February 2013. Retrieved 31 January 2013.
  27. ↑ "'Vishwaroopam' shows stopped across Tamil Nadu". The Times of India . 30 January 2013. Archived from the original on 15 August 2013. Retrieved 31 January 2013.
  28. ↑ "The actual reason for the postponement of Vishwaroopam verdict is". Behindwoods. Archived from the original on 31 January 2013. Retrieved 28 January 2013.
  29. ↑ "Relief for Kamal Haasan, Madras HC lifts ban on 'Vishwaroopam'". The Times of India . PTI. 29 January 2013. Archived from the original on 13 December 2013. Retrieved 31 January 2013.
  30. ↑ "'Vishwaroopam' screening stopped in Hyderabad". The Hindu. 25 January 2013. Archived from the original on 28 January 2013. Retrieved 25 January 2013.
  31. ↑ "No Vishwaroopam release in Karnataka too". The Hindu. 25 January 2013. Archived from the original on 25 January 2013. Retrieved 25 January 2013.
  32. ↑ "Vishwaroopam comes home to plaudits, brickbats in equal measure". The Hindu. 26 January 2013. Archived from the original on 29 January 2013. Retrieved 31 January 2013.
  33. ↑ "Kamal Haasan's Vishwaroopam pulled in Hyderabad till tomorrow, in Bangalore till Sunday". NDTV. 25 January 2013. Archived from the original on 26 January 2013. Retrieved 26 January 2013.
  34. ↑ "'Vishwaroopam' stopped in Andhra, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, released in Kerala". Deccan Herald. PTI. 26 January 2013. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 26 January 2013.
  35. ↑ "Despite protests Vishwaroopam screened in Karnataka". Hindustan Times. 26 January 2013. Archived from the original on 29 January 2013. Retrieved 31 January 2013.
  36. ↑ "'Vishwaroopam' taken off theatres across Karnataka following police advisory". IBNLive. 26 January 2013. Archived from the original on 27 January 2013. Retrieved 31 January 2013.
  37. ↑ "Malaysia bans Vishwaroopam". The Hindu. 26 January 2013. Archived from the original on 29 January 2013. Retrieved 26 January 2013.
  38. ↑ "Now, Malaysia bans Kamal Haasan's 'Vishwaroopam', a day after it was released". NDTV. 26 January 2013. Archived from the original on 29 January 2013. Retrieved 31 January 2013.
  39. ↑ Radhakrishnan, R. K. (26 January 2013). "Kamal's film hits a roadblock in Sri Lanka too". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 26 January 2013. Retrieved 26 January 2013.
  40. ↑ "Vishwaroopam released in U.P. amid tight security". The Hindu. 2 February 2013. Archived from the original on 5 February 2013. Retrieved 1 February 2013.
  41. ↑ "'Vishwaroopam' row: Tamil Nadu wants me out, Kamal Haasan says". The Times of India . 30 January 2013. Archived from the original on 16 February 2013. Retrieved 31 January 2013.
  42. ↑ "No 'bad Muslims' in 'Vishwaroopam', can't paint terrorists white: Kamal Haasan". The Times of India . 31 January 2013. Archived from the original on 24 April 2013. Retrieved 1 February 2013.
  43. ↑ "'Vishwaroopam' ban: Cut nine minutes from film, suggest protester groups; talks postponed". NDTV. 1 February 2013. Archived from the original on 2 February 2013. Retrieved 1 February 2013.
  44. ↑ "Malaysian government to meet with distributor of Vishwaroopam". NDTV. 2 February 2013. Archived from the original on 4 February 2013. Retrieved 5 February 2013.
  45. ↑ "Business Line : News : Malaysian Govt to meet Vishwaroopam distributor". Business Line. Press Trust of India. 2 February 2013. Archived from the original on 4 February 2013. Retrieved 5 February 2013.
  46. ↑ "Ministry lifts ban on Tamil film Vishwaroopam". The Star. 20 February 2013. Archived from the original on 13 April 2013. Retrieved 23 February 2013.
  47. ↑ "Rajnikanth backs Haasan, against banning Vishwaroopam". rediff. Archived from the original on 28 January 2013. Retrieved 25 January 2013.
  48. 1 2 "Censor backs Haasan opus". India Today. 29 January 2013. Archived from the original on 31 January 2013. Retrieved 31 January 2013.
  49. 1 2 3 "Kamal Haasan mulls exile, ban on 'Vishwaroopam' stays". The Times of India. 30 January 2013. Archived from the original on 31 January 2013. Retrieved 31 January 2013.
  50. 1 2 3 4 "Ban on 'Vishwaroopam' unfair, says film fraternity". The Times of India . IANS. 25 January 2013. Archived from the original on 16 February 2013. Retrieved 31 January 2013.
  51. ↑ "Ajith speaks out for Kamal". IndiaGlitz. 26 January 2013. Archived from the original on 29 January 2013. Retrieved 31 January 2013.
  52. 1 2 "Kamal is a Meesai Vaikaadha Bharathiyaar, says Bharathirajaa". Behindwoods. 26 January 2013. Archived from the original on 29 January 2013. Retrieved 31 January 2013.
  53. ↑ "No 'Thalaivaa' shoot until the release of Vishwaroopam". IndiaGlitz. Archived from the original on 2 February 2013. Retrieved 31 January 2013.
  54. ↑ "'Vishwaroopam': Aamir Khan disapproves of ban on Kamal Haasan's latest". Zee News. 29 January 2013. Archived from the original on 3 February 2013. Retrieved 31 January 2013.
  55. ↑ "R Madhavan: Vishwaroopam deserves a release". Rediff. 25 January 2013. Archived from the original on 28 July 2020. Retrieved 31 January 2013.
  56. ↑ "Bollywood protests against Vishwaroop ban". Bollywood Hungama. 31 January 2013. Archived from the original on 3 February 2013. Retrieved 1 February 2013.
  57. ↑ "Salman Khan asks fans to support Kamal Haasan". The Times of India . 31 January 2013. Archived from the original on 16 February 2013. Retrieved 1 February 2013.
  58. ↑ "Vishwaroopam ban: B-town celebs raise questions over censor board". The Times of India . 1 February 2013. Archived from the original on 16 February 2013. Retrieved 1 February 2013.
  59. ↑ "Anupam, Akshay support Kamal Haasan on movie ban". The Times of India . 1 February 2013. Archived from the original on 16 February 2013. Retrieved 1 February 2013.
  60. ↑ Rangan, Baradwaj (9 February 2013). ""Vishwaroopam"… Terror messages". Baradwaj Rangan. Archived from the original on 15 December 2018. Retrieved 13 December 2018.
  61. 1 2 "Support for 'dhoti-clad PM' may have caused 'Vishwaroopam' ban: Karunanidhi". NDTV. 30 January 2013. Archived from the original on 31 January 2013. Retrieved 31 January 2013.
  62. 1 2 "Karunanidhi found why govt., oppose Viswaroopam | பூனை வெளியே வந்து விட்டது: விஸ்வரூபம் விவகாரத்தில் கருணாநிதி போட்டார் புது குண்டு Dinamalar". Dinamalar (in Tamil). 30 January 2013. Archived from the original on 3 February 2013. Retrieved 31 January 2013.
  63. ↑ "Jayalalithaa: decks can be cleared for release of film if Kamal Haasan and Muslim leaders reach accord". The Hindu . 31 January 2013. Archived from the original on 3 February 2013. Retrieved 9 February 2013.
  64. ↑ "Jayalalithaa wants to facilitate release of Vishwaroopam". Business Standard. 1 February 2013. Archived from the original on 6 March 2013. Retrieved 9 February 2013.
  65. ↑ "Jayalalitha defends 'Vishwaroopam' ban, to sue Karunanidhi". Yahoo News. 31 January 2013. Archived from the original on 6 February 2013. Retrieved 9 February 2013.
  66. ↑ "விஸ்வரூபம் பட காட்சி பிராமணர் சங்கம் புகார்". Dinamalar (in Tamil). 4 February 2013. Archived from the original on 6 February 2013. Retrieved 9 February 2013.
  67. ↑ "High Court rejects plea to ban Vishwaroopam in its present form". The Hindu . 5 February 2013. Archived from the original on 8 February 2013. Retrieved 9 February 2013.
  68. ↑ "Ameer brings up Vishwaroopam issue again". The Times of India . 7 March 2013. Archived from the original on 17 August 2023. Retrieved 17 August 2023.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.