With Deepavali falling on a Sunday, two big films have released in Tamil on Friday - Vijay’s Bigil and Karthi’s Kaithi. The fanfare surrounding the former is much too familiar to the Tamil cinema audience. But with the Tamil Nadu government delaying the permission for special shows until very late on Thursday night, Friday’s break of dawn was not as jubilant for several Vijay fans as was expected.
While reports emerged of violence breaking out in Krishnagiri district with 37 Vijay fans being detained by the police for vandalising public property, in Chennai celebrations were peaceful. The incident in Krishnagiri took place because the screening of the film began after a delay.
Earlier this week, Information and Publicity Minister Kadambur C Raju had told reporters that permission for early morning shows was not granted for Deepavali releases this time and even if they did the theatres had to agree not to overprice tickets. As scores of fans waited with bated breaths, the announcement came in after 11.00 pm on Thursday allowing special shows to be arranged.
While this did prove to be a major dampener for fans, many had anyway not planned on extravagant decorations outside theatres keeping in mind the recent banner incident that cost the life of a young techie in Chennai.
Outside Kasi theatre in Chennai, Vignesh from Saidapet fan club who calls himself the biggest Vijay fan tells TNM that the celebrations were done without flamboyant banners and giant sized cut outs for Bigil because their “Thalapathy” requested so. “Usually we organise grand celebrations. Recently due to banner incident in which Subhasri died Thalapathy has also asked us not to put up banners. We have also obliged. This time we’ve done a small set up only,” he says.
Vijay, while directly addressing his fans during the film’s audio launch that was held last month, stressed on the banner culture, requesting his fans to avoid it, in the wake of Subhasri’s death. Subhasri was killed on September 12 after an illegal flex board put up by AIAMK former Councilor Jayagopal fell on her while she was riding her two-wheeler. After falling on the road, she was run over by a water tanker.
Another fan, Mylai Prasanth who has come to watch the film at Woodlands Theatre in Royapettah, said that their fan club was not granted permission by the theatre owners or by the police to put up any kind of banner or pandal (a welcome arch). “This time we were disappointed in not being able to celebrate. They have not allowed us to celebrate. They had banned banners, we have accepted it. Thalapathy has also said so. So we have not erected it. Instead of it we wanted to place a pandal. Both theatre and police did not allow,” he says.
Kasi Theatre owner Subramaniam tells TNM that if not for the GO, fans would have created ruckus outside the theatres. “They were happy because the shows were allowed. If not, they would’ve become very upset and resorted to violence. For sure. Because everyone wants to see the first show.”
However, cinema halls were not entirely bereft of celebrations. Crackers were burst, bands were called in for and fans indulged in low-key hero worship before heading into the cinema halls that were finally playing early morning shows.
Fans also found other ways to celebrate the release of Vijay’s Bigil. Kalai, a member of the Saidapet fan club shares, “This time instead of making sets we donated footballs to young boys with Thalapathy sign on it. It is the same brand used in the film. Yearly we spend Rs 2-3 lakhs on banners for his films. But we have avoided it this time. Others may create unnecessary trouble before his release but we don’t mind all that.”
“In every area Vijay fans are doing good things. Some are serving food for orphans and the elderly. We also do good things without creating problems,” Vignesh adds.
Bigil has been directed by Atlee and produced by AGS Entertainment. The film stars Vijay in dual roles.