6 AM shows return to Tamil Nadu as chief minister C Joseph Vijay changes rules ahead of new Diwali releases Scene, Mookuthi Amman 2, Ramayana

The Tamil film industry approached minister Rajmohan in October to re-permit early shows in the state. CM Vijay has given the permission.

Massive releases are lined up for this Diwali, and Tamil Nadu chief minister and superstar C Joseph Vijay has given distributors and exhibitors timely relief. After more than three years of early-morning shows in the state, the CM issued a government order permitting 6 AM shows for the upcoming Diwali releases. The GO comes right before the release of films such as Scene, Mookuthi Amman 2 and Ramayana.

Tamil Nadu chief minister C Joseph Vijay passed a new GO after being approached by the film industry. (PTI)

6 AM shows return to Tamil Nadu

A press release states that Vijay has permitted six shows daily of new Tamil films across the state between 6 AM and 2:30 AM the following day for a period of one week from their release. For three years now, since a stampede incident during the release of Ajith Kumar’s Thunivu in 2023, only four shows were permitted under the Tamil Nadu Cinemas (Regulation) Rules, 1957, and in accordance with Condition 14-A of the ‘Form C’ license issued to cinema theatres.

Now, the new rules apply not just to the film’s first week of release, but also to local festival days, public holidays and weekends. The Tamil Film Active Producers Association, the Tamil Film Producers Council, and the Tamil Nadu Theatre and Multiplex Owners Association had put forward various requests to the government, including permission for six shows per day during the first week of a film’s release.

Producer-distributor G Dhananjhayen offered more information while posting the press release on X (formerly Twitter), writing, “We made the request on 27th Oct to the Hon. Minister Thiru @imrajmohan sir and within a week, he obtained the permission from our Hon @CMOTamilnadu Thiru @TVKVijayHQ sir for the 6 am special shows - a true example for a responsive government for the welfare of its people and industries. Thank you #CMVijay sir & thank you #Rajmohan sir for this quick response and Government Order. We at Tamil Cinema wish to express our gratitude to both of you for this great support.”

Diwali releases to benefit from new GO

This move by Vijay will benefit all new Diwali releases, even though it’s unclear if dubbed Tamil films will have the same advantage. Jithu Madhavan’s Suriya, Nazriya Nazim and Naslen-starrer Scene, Sundar C’s Nayanthara and Regena Cassandrra-starrer Mookuthi Amman 2, which are both hitting screens on November 6, will definitely benefit from it. Nitesh Tiwari’s Ramayana, starring Ranbir Kapoor, Sai Pallavi and Yash, will also be released in Tamil, but it’s unknown if permission will be granted for the film to have six shows.