Just a day ahead of Kaala’s scheduled release, Rajnikanth responded to the controversy surrounding the film and said that he has faith that Karnataka Chief Minister Kumaraswamy will abide by the order of the Karnataka High Court and provide security for the theatres where the film will be screened.
Addressing the media, Rajni said that he just expressed his opinion, and that Karnataka must ensure that the terms of Supreme Court’s ruling on the Cauvery dispute are fulfilled. He added that he doesn’t think it is right to block the release of Kaala for having said this.
“It pains me to see that even the Karnataka Film Chamber of Commerce (KFCC) seems to be in favour of the ban. The distributors and exhibitors all have to be brought together by the KFCC to ensure a film's release,” he said.
He also said that if the movie does not release in Karnataka on the day of it is released everywhere else, it would be detrimental to the image of the state.
“We have approached CM Kumaraswamy for protection. We hope the movie will release with security,” he said.
Rajnikanth appealed to his Kannada brothers to help release the movie and to let people watch it.
The Karnataka High Court had ordered the state government to provide security for Kaala’s release after pro-Kannada groups threatened violence if the movie was released in Karnataka. On Tuesday, Chief Minister Kumaraswamy requested the film’s producers not to release the movie in this situation. He said that as a producer and a distributor himself, the movie will not financially benefit them even if it is released.
Kaala is set to release in 150 screens across Karnataka on Thursday. Representatives of pro-Kannada groups and KFCC reportedly met the CM and requested him to not encourage the screening of the movie. The CM also reportedly said that despite his personal preferences, the state government will obey the court’s order to provide security.