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Why Chennai feels Madras Cafe is anti-Tamil

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Detonator Newbie

Detonator

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Why Chennai feels Madras Cafe is anti-Tamil

Going by the fate of two big Tamil films in the recent past — Kamal Haasan’s Vishwaroopam and Vijay’s Thalaivaa — both of which ran into political rough-weather, actor-producer John Abraham may not be able to release his Madras Cafe in Chennai and the rest of Tamil Nadu. He has all the right to say that he won’t “fall prey to bullying tactics†and he believes in “freedom of expressionâ€; but, if the theatres don’t want his film, all that he can do is only express outrage. And most often, the real reasons for theatres refusing to screen a film are never known. There may be some obvious triggers that we see, but the real reasons run far deeper. In the case of Madras Cafe, the chances of a no-show are very high because leaders of the pro-Elam Tamil groups, particularly Nam Tamizhar, have seen it and they say that it paints LTTE and its leader Prabhakaran as terrorists. Seeman, Nam Tamizhar leader, a highly vocal campaigner for the rights of Sri Lankan Tamils and even the LTTE, as well as Vaiko, leader of MDMK, another pro-ELAM party, have sought a ban on the film. Courtesy: Facebook John Abraham hasn’t answered the fundamental charges by Seeman and others who have seen the movie in Chennai at a special screening. “It looks like a movie directed by Rajapaske. Its aim is only to malign Prabhakaran. It has nothing on the excesses of the Sri Lankan army or about the freedom struggle of Tamils. The movie makes it appear as if the conflict was between government of India and Prabhakaran. Its screening should be prevented, not just in Tamil Nadu, but everywhere,†Seeman said. Another Tamil film director RK Selvamani said “it looks like a movie funded by Rajapakse and directed by Sonia Gandhi. I respect freedom of expression, but if it is only to justify the government of India, it is not acceptable. It depicts Tamils as murderers. It’s anti-Tamil. Every shot is a lie. The very first shot is wrong. It’s an effort to isolate Tamils.†In response, all that poor John Abraham says sounds very naive. “I respect everybody’s opinion. I respect Mr Vaiko’s point of view and Mr Seeman’s perspective. But it is very important that they also respect our opinion. This is a democracy. If the Censor Board has no objection with the film’s content and has given us an U/A certificate, then I don’t think there is anything wrong with the film. They are most welcome to go and raise their objections. And in our part, we will definitely take the film to the audience.†What John doesn’t realise is that post-2009, when the Sri Lankan government finished off the LTTE and its leadership including Prabhakaran in an internationally condemned war, the sentiments for Sri Lankan Tamils have completely changed in Tamil Nadu. Outfits, that had been careful about expressing their support to LTTE, a banned organisation in India, openly started organising rallies and meetings. Both Seeman and Vaiko had been jailed for their volatile speeches, but not any more. The UN-backed charges that Sri Lankan army had killed about 40,000 Tamils, grossly violated human rights, and subsequently tried to Sinhalise the Tamil areas of the country make their voices legitimate. In such a situation, it’s foolish to think that they will accept anything that paints the Tamil freedom fighters as “terroristsâ€. John may be right from the perspective of the Indian establishment because it had bitterly fought the LTTE, but the Tamil groups and parties had never ratified the intervention by India in 1987. If there is a movie that even remotely glorifies the intervention, it will certainly arouse passion. John can very well argue that Madras Cafe has been cleared by the Censor Board; but so were Vishwaroopam and Thalaivaa. In both the cases, there were threats to the theatres and the police said it couldn’t provide security. So now, the only way the film can be screened is if the police provides security. Will the theatres risk political ire and ask for security because they want to screen the film? Unlikely. Industry sources say that there are covert lines of communications by which the theatres get a sense of what is right and what is not. Sri Lankan Tamil issue is still relevant in Tamil Nadu politics and it will certainly play some part in the 2014 elections as well. DMK attributed its pull-out from the UPA to the government’s inability to act tough on Sri Lanka. Not to be left behind on Madras Cafe, the DMK also has asked the state government to take appropriate action after looking into the charges of Seeman and Vaiko. The state government is unlikely to take a decision to support the film. Chief minister Jayalalithaa, since 2009, has been steadfast in her support to the Sri Lankan Tamils. It had been one of her key poll-issues for both the 2009 parliament elections and 2011 assembly elections. Why should she change it for a movie? If what Seeman, RK Selvamani and pro-ELAM students say about the movie are true, Chennaiites will most likely not be able to Madras Cafe.
http://www.firstpost.com/bollywood/why-chennai-feels-madras-cafe-is-anti-tamil-1049123.html
Crookbond Newbie

Crookbond

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BJP against screening of ‘Madras Cafe’ in Mumbai

“The film with John Abraham in leading role, has a negative portrayal of LTTE chief V Prabhakaran. The movie deals with the Rajiv Gandhi assassination and mentions Tamil organisations as terror outfits,” Mumbai BJP president Ashish Shelar said here. Tamil organisations have opposed the movie and have called for a countrywide ban on it, he said. ”Several Tamil brethren live in Mumbai as it is the country’s financial capital. Many organisations have registered their opposition to the film, with the BJP. It is felt that there will be social discord if the film is allowed to be shown here,” Shelar said.
http://www.firstpost.com/bollywood/bjp-against-screening-of-madras-cafe-in-mumbai-1050605.html
BeautifulGame Newbie

BeautifulGame

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Load of nonsense. Jayalalitha just petty politics to people like Seeman and Vaiko . She is getting ridiculous by the day :facepalm:

The state government is unlikely to take a decision to support the film. Chief minister Jayalalithaa, since 2009, has been steadfast in her support to the Sri Lankan Tamils. It had been one of her key poll-issues for both the 2009 parliament elections and 2011 assembly elections. Why should she change it for a movie?
And this part is absolutely not true.No one talked about LTTE or Lankan tamils apart from the insane Vaiko in 2011 elections
Crookbond Newbie

Crookbond

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how about not watching the movie if you dont like but these mofos wont rest unless the control what other can and can not watch.
Tolerance - more rare than diamonds (or even granite/limestone if Wiki SMEs are to be believed) Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
asterix Mentor

asterix

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offtopic: remove this footer from your posting..simply adds to your data charges.
He's recently bought Tapatalk... Let him flaunt it for some time...
Detonator Newbie

Detonator

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Debra Morgan trying hard to derail. Still has diamond hangover. :giggle: I never knew ppl remember internet discussions for so long. :haha: Jokes aside, there is a growing trend in banning movies. These whackos didn't understand that the movie is getting free publicity. :facepalm: . After all it's a movie, People aren't stupid to believe. It's getting similar "Deshdrohi" case, not viswaroopan or thailaivaa.

Crookbond Newbie

Crookbond

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Why Chennai feels Madras Cafe is anti-Tamil

ok.. then adds to others bandwidth. doesnt it?
Fair enough turned off. :two_thumbs_up: After all, not everyone can afford to spend hard earned parents money on their whims and fancies. :giggle:
diga Grand Master

diga

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Fair enough turned off. :two_thumbs_up: After all, not everyone can afford to spend hard earned parents money on their whims and fancies. :giggle:
ohh.. how much pocket money do you get? probably more than my yearly salary.. enjoy:two_thumbs_up:
Ram Newbie

Ram

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Unfortunately, too often in Indian cinema today, we have this epidemic of fame hungry parasites whose only job is to be professionally outraged, stop movie screenings and vandalize public property and disrupt peoples’ lives. Kamal Haasan said he was very close to quitting Indian cinema altogether, when there was so much unintended controversy around Viswaroopam.

Number Grand Master

Number

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How did you arrive at that conclusion?
It is such a boring movie full of jokes on which even kids wont laugh, has name of Chennai in it.:giggle: If I were from Chennai, I would have taken offense. :protest:
BeautifulGame Newbie

BeautifulGame

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It is such a boring movie full of jokes on which even kids wont laugh, has name of Chennai in it.:giggle: If I were from Chennai, I would have taken offense. :protest:
Has broken all records in north India :dance: SRK :yay:
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