Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru (SP)

Bengaluru, Apr 22: After the controversy over the release of the movie, 'Bahubali - 2' threatened to snowball into major confrontation, decks seemed to have been cleared for the film's exhibition in the state with the unconditional apology tendered by Tamil actor, Sathyaraj, who has donned the role of 'Kattappa' in the film. However, trouble started afresh after suddenly Kannada cinemas were taken off the theatres in Tamil Nadu. Therefore, dispute between the two film industries of south India worsened again since Friday night.

People who had booked their tickets to watch Kannada film, 'Shuddhi' in PVR Cinemas at Chennai received messages on their cellphones that the bookings had been cancelled. In addition, Kannada movies, Chakravarthi and Srinivasa Kalyana, which were having a successful run, were also withdrawn from the screens. All Kannada films have been withdrawn and replaced with Tamil films in Tamil Nadu, as per information.

As soon as this information was received, leading personalities of Sandalwood got incensed. They have warned of kicking Tamil movies out of theatres in Karnataka.

Some viewers said that they suddenly received messages about cancellation of the screening of 'Shuddhi' film in Chennai without assigning any reason. Some of the Kannada films screened in malls were having good box office collection, but all of them were taken off. Several have tweeted about withdrawal of Kannada movies since Friday evening.

Karnataka Film Chamber of Commerce president, Sa Ra Govindu, who stated that he has information that Kannada movies have been removed from screens in Tamil Nadu, warned that screening of Tamil movies will be stopped in Karnataka and 'Bahubali-2' will not be allowed to be released here. Director of Kannada movie, 'Shuddhi', Adarsh, who confirmed that screening of the film has been stopped, expressed his resentment at this development.

Pro-Kannada organizations, who had held protest against releasing of 'Bahubali-2' film  in Karnataka because of insulting remarks made by one of its actors, Sathyaraj, some years back, had withdrawn the protest after the actor tendered apology. Fresh action by theatres in Tamil Nadu has stoked controversy again in the state.