TN: No restrictions imposed on Maran's film

Chennai, Sep 27: The Tamil Nadu government on Saturday, Sep 27 denied that it had imposed restrictions on the screening of a Tamil film 'Kaathalil Vizhunthen', which was produced by the Marans owned Sun Pictures.

An official release said distributors and theatres were free to release and screen any picture that was certified by the Censor Board.

In a veiled reference to Sun Pictures, the release said some forces were shifting the blame on the government for their personal gains.

''The government strongly refute such reports,'' it said and added that there was no restriction on screening the film.

The government's clarification comes in the wake of reports that the screening of the film had been stalled in some theatres in Madurai, the political stronghold of DMK President and Chief Minister M Karunanidhi's elder son M K Azhagiri.

The Maran brothers, Kalanidhi and former Union Minister Dayanidhi, the grand nephews of the Chief Minister, fell out of favour of the State's first family, for publishing an opinion poll in their Tamil daily ''Dinakaran'' on political heir apparent to Mr Karunanidhi two years back.

Since then there had been strained relations between the two families and resulted in the birth of 'Kalaignar TV', as a counter to Marans brothers Sun TV, and launch of government-onwed Arasu Cable TV Corporation and Royal Cable TV Corporation in Madurai by Mr Azhagiri.

These moves were seen as a move to scuttle the monopoly enjoyed by the largest MSO Sumangali Cable Vision of Marans.

UNI