The romantic flick was ‘banned’ from being released in Madurai, Ramanathapuram, Dindigul, Theni and Sivaganga districts and surrounding areas, following intense rivalry between Azhagiri and the Maran brothers, Kalanidhi and Dayanidhi, who head the Sun Group. Theatre owners had abandoned their plans of releasing the film last Friday after being allegedly threatened by DMK cadres. The exhibitors claimed that they did not want to be caught in between the two warring groups.

Sun Pictures had faxed a letter to the Home Secretary requesting police protection for theatres screening the movie. The group also telecast clippings through its Sun TV and Sun News channels and published reports in its Dinakaran and Tamil Murasu, explaining the difficulties faced in releasing the movie in Madurai and other southern districts where Azhagiri is said to reign supreme. In retaliation, the state Government stepped in and issued a statement. “No one has the right to stop the release of a movie that has been duly certified by the Censor Board,” it said, but the statement also carried a rider that “some persons were raising such allegations out of selfish motives.”

Azhagiri strongly denied allegations of arm twisting theatre owners and slapped a defamation case against the Sun Group for slandering his image.

The Opposition, on the other hand, seized the opportunity to flay the state Government and Karunanidhi. Addressing a function on Sunday night, senior Congress leader and Central minister EVKS Elangovan, who is a staunch critic of the DMK, lashed out at the ‘ban’ against the movie, stating that it was against the principles of democracy. “Couldn’t we have banned Parasakthi (penned by Karunanidhi) or Nadodi Mannan (a blockbuster starring MGR) when Kamaraj was in power? Is this democracy?” he said.

Meanwhile, the Sun Group countered the state Government’s statement, “Unlike many other districts, Madurai has a peculiar scenario where complaints against some individuals are not accepted and complainants are even threatened. Complaints filed by Sun Group are never perused by the police, while those against us are immediately dealt with,” said a statement published in Dinakaran. Last Sunday, the film was released in Dindigul and some other centres.