Film actor, producer and director Kamal Haasan is relieved. His film Vishwaroop hit theatres in north India on Friday. Kamal Haasan has been facing wide-spread protests against his film Vishwaroopam for at least 15 days now. Even as the Hindi film was released in Hindi-belts, the movie was not released in UP. In the photo, Kamal addresses a press conference about the controversy regarding his new film Vishwaroopam in Mumbai on January 31, 2013. (AFP PHOTO)
Meanwhile, the film has earned Rs. 1.89 crore on the opening day. Trade Analyst Taran Adarsh tweeted, "Vishwaroop [Hindi version] Friday Rs. 1.89 cr ... Picked up in the evening and night shows."
Kamal Haasan was in Mumbai since Jan 31 promoting 'Vishwaroop'. The Tamil and Telugu version, 'Vishwaroopam', still remains banned in Tamil Nadu following protests from Muslim groups over certain scenes in the movie, which seem derogatory to their community. The versatile actor will meet leaders of Muslim groups later here Saturday in a bid to lift the ban on his film.
On February 1, Chandra Haasan, on behalf of the production house Raj Kamal International Films met the leaders of protesting groups in preliminary talks in the presence of Tamil Nadu Home Secretary R Rajagopal.
Following the preliminary talks, both parties were to meet formally Friday evening, but the same was called off after the opposition party expressed an interest to meet Kamal Haasan himself.
On January 31, talks were to take place between Muslim leaders and Tamil filmmaker Ameer Sultan on behalf of Raj Kamal Films International, but the same was called off after both the parties decided that government should mediate the talks. "We've submitted letters to the government requesting it to oversee the talks between Raj Kamal Films International and leaders of all 24 Muslim organisations", said Chandra Haasan Thursday.
Both parties agreed to sit and discuss the matter after Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa on Thursday said her government will do anything to help Haasan release his film if he can reach an amicable solution with the protesting groups.
The Rs. 95 crore espionage thriller was originally scheduled to release in Tamil and Telugu on January 25.