Reacting to the rumours that Chennai police had reached the residence of Sarkar director AR Murugadoss on Thursday night to arrest him, actors Rajinikanth and Vishal came out in support of the movie as well as the director. While both the actors took to Twitter to express their support, Rajinikanth wrote that it was illegal to protest against the movie, demanding to remove some of its scenes even after the Censor Board has certified it.
“After the Censor Board has certified the movie and released it, it is illegal to protest demanding removal of scenes from the movie and damaging the banners. I strongly condemn these actions,” read the tweet.
Panic spread after a tweet by Sun Pictures, the producer of Sarkar, late on Thursday night, which stated that the police were at the director’s residence to arrest him. Reacting to this, actor Vishal, the general secretary of Nadigar Sangam, also tweeted in support of the movie.
His tweet mentioned that once a movie is cleared for viewing and once the public views it, there was no need to create a ruckus. “Police in director Murugadoss’s home? For what? Hoping and really hoping that nothing unforeseen happens. Once again, Censor (Board) has cleared the film and the content is watched by public. Then why all this hue and cry?,” Vishal tweeted.
தணிக்கைக்குழு தணிக்கை செய்து படத்தை வெளியிட்டபிறகு,அந்தப் படத்திலிருந்து சில காட்சிகளை நீக்கவேண்டும் என்று போராட்டம் நடத்துவதும், திரையிடத் தடுப்பதும்,படத்தின் பேனர்களை சேதப்படுத்துவதும், சட்டத்திற்குப் புறம்பான செயல்கள். இத்தகைய செயல்களை நான் வன்மையாகக் கண்டிக்கிறேன்.
— Rajinikanth (@rajinikanth) November 8, 2018
Police in Dir Murugadoss s home????? For Wat?? Hoping and really hoping that nothin unforeseen happens. Once again. Censor has cleared the film and the content is watched by public.den why all this hue and cry.
— Vishal (@VishalKOfficial) November 8, 2018
Earlier during the day, actor Kamal Haasan had also expressed his support for the movie by tweeting that it was not new for the current government to apply undue pressure on a movie that criticises it.
முறையாகச்சான்றிதழ் பெற்று வெளியாகியிருக்கும் சர்கார் படத்துக்கு,சட்டவிரோதமான அரசியல் சூழ்ச்சிகள் மூலம் அழுத்தம் கொடுப்பது இவ்வரசுக்கு புதிதல்ல.விமர்சனங்களை ஏற்கத்துணிவில்லாத அரசு தடம் புரளும்.அரசியல் வியாபாரிகள் கூட்டம் விரைவில் ஒழியும்.நாடாளப்போகும் நல்லவர் கூட்டமே வெல்லும்.
— Kamal Haasan (@ikamalhaasan) November 8, 2018
Sarkar, which released on November 6, has found itself in the middle of controversies due to certain scenes in the movie. The movie has invited sharp criticism from various parts of the ruling AIADMK in Tamil Nadu, with Law Minister CVe Shanmugam threatening legal action against the director.
The AIADMK also led several protests across the state demanding the movie not be screened until the controversial scenes are removed from it. Owing to the protests, several shows were cancelled across the state on Thursday.
A complaint has also been filed with the Chennai city Police Commissioner, urging him to act against AR Murugadoss under section 124A (Sedition) of the IPC for insulting the state government.
Source: The News Minute