High Court orders police protection for theatres screening Kaala in Karnataka

Following the decision of Karnataka distributors to boycott the screening of Rajinikanth's Kaala over the actor's statement on the Cauvery issue, Wunderbar films had filed a petition with the state's High Court stating that they would suffer a massive financial loss as the result of the unofficial ban of the film in the state by certain political parties.

The High Court accepted the plea of Wunderbar films yesterday and has ordered the Karnataka government to provide sufficient police force for the protection of theatres in order to facilitate hassle-free screening of the film. However, the court also made it clear that it does not have a say if the theatre owners are not willing to screen the film.

Meanwhile, the South Indian Film Chamber of Commerce has expressed their support for the film's release in Karnataka through a press release, which read: "We are in constant touch with Karnataka Film Chamber of Commerce for the smooth release of Kaala. KFCC is also trying to sort out this issue along with political parties who are blocking the film. Our Ex-President C Kalyan, also met the Hon'ble Chief Minister of Karnataka and requested the film must release smoothly in the interest of the film industry. Hon'ble CM has also promised that he will try his level best for the smooth release of the film."

According to Wunderbar films, Kaala, made on a budget of Rs 140 crore, will lose a gross revenue of Rs 15 -20 crore from Karnataka if it is not released in the state. It is also notable that, since Kaala is one of the biggest Tamil releases this year, any ban or boycott of the film will not only impact the film’s business, but also have a negative effect on the contribution of the Tamil industry to the overall revenue of the Indian film industry.