Tamil superstar Rajinikanth’s much publicised visit to Sri Lanka is facing opposition back in Tamil Nadu. Thol Thirumavalavan’s VCK and few other groups like the Tamilar Vazhvu Urimai Katchi led by Velmurugan has objected to the actor's visit to Jaffna. The actor is expected to inaugurate 150 homes built for Lankan Tamils in Jaffna.
The houses have been built by Gnanam Foundation, part of Lyca Productions, at the cost of Rs 22 crore for those displaced following thand fewe nearly 30-year civil war. The project was completed over a period of one-and-a-half years.
VCK leader Thol Thirumavalavan has alleged that the Sri Lankan government has a political motive behind handing over the houses and it was being done to counter criticism they were getting globally. “Rajinikanth never spoke about Sri Lanka. But this visit is with political and other motives. The SL government wants to prove that they are working for Tamils at a time when many groups are still questioning their war crimes,” Thirumavalavan told Times Now.
Rajinikanth is supposed to hand over keys to 150 homes built for Tamils by Gnanam Foundation on April 9 in Jaffna, Sri Lanka.
Rajinikanth's upcoming Tamil science-fiction action film 2.0 is being bankrolled by Lyca Productions. “Rajinikanth and Lyca are trying to promote a movie, I am not bothered about their commercial motives. But the Sri Lankan government has a political motive and so I request Rajinikanth not to visit Jaffna,” he told Times Now.
He added that he will be trying to meet Rajinikanth and ask him not to visit Sri Lanka. He also warned that this could lead to Tamils protesting against him which could affect his image.
Other groups have said that they were not opposed to Rajinikanth visiting Sri Lanka to promote his movies, but they were against him endorsing any superficial moves through which Lankan government wanted to propagate the falsehood of 'rehabilitating Tamils'.
This isn’t the first project by Lyca Productions that has faced opposition. Several fringe groups called for a ban on Vijay’s 2014 film Kaththiwhich was produced by Lyca Productions. The film was eventually released after the logo of Lyca Producations was dropped.
Sri Lanka is a big market for Tamil films, comprising 18% of its business.