The movie which has grossed over Rs 100 crore since Tuesday was screened with edited scenes and muted dialogues after obtaining a re-censor certificate on Friday afternoon.
Under pressure from the AIADMK sarkar (government) in Tamil Nadu, the makers of Tamil movie 'Sarkar', a political thriller starring actor Vijay, edited out three scenes from the movie that supposedly depicted late chief minister J Jayalalithaa and the schemes implemented by her in a bad light.
The movie which has grossed over Rs 100 crore since Tuesday was screened with edited scenes and muted dialogues after obtaining a re-censor certificate on Friday afternoon.
A five-second video of Sarkar's director AR Murugadoss appeared in a cameo in a song where he would throw a mixer-grinder given as freebie into the fire. Mixer-grinder was distributed free of cost by Jayalalithaa regime in 2011-16 as part of her electoral promise in 2011 to provide freebies including laptops to students and table fans. Also, the makers of Sarkar muted three words including the name of a villain -- Komalavaalli which is the original name of Jayalalithaa.
The film's director Murugadoss has been granted protection from arrest by the Madras High Court till November 27. "If censor board has certified the film why is there interference from the government," asked the court, stating that the director cannot be arrested till November 27. The court also questioned whether the government had taken any action against the protesters.
In protests over the past two days, AIADMK workers ripped apart banners and damaged cut-outs of Vijay outside theatres in Tamil Nadu. Theatre owners urged media baron Kalanithi Maran owned Sun Pictures, the makers of the film, to delete the portions.
Actor turned politicians Rajinikanth and Kamal Haasan strongly objected to the protest against the movie which was released after getting the mandatory CBFC certificate.
Tamil Nadu Information Minister Kadambur Raju who was the first raise objection to certain scenes in the movie said that AIADMK cadres would stop their protest following the removal of objectionable scenes. "A permanent solution to this kind of problem would be to have a representative of state government in the Censor Board," he said.
"AIADMK cannot accept scenes that demean Jayalalithaa. Freebies help to improve the socio-economic status of the state. Even fans of actor Vijay will have freebies given by Jayalalithaa. The film industry should be more careful in future," said Revenue Minister RB Udhayakumar.
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
 "SARKAR")
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}