ET Bureau After the Chennai unit of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad sought a ban on the Rs 50 crore Kamal Hassan-starrer Uttama Villain (Virtuous villain), Sowmya Aji of ET spoke to the film's director, multi-lingual star Ramesh Aravind on the path ahead and if the film would meet its May 1 release date. Excerpts:
After Dasavatharam and Viswaroopam, the VHP is now seeking a ban on one more Kamal Hassan film. How are you going to tackle this problem?
I have finished my film, shown it to the censor board at Chennai. They saw it, knowing the objections raised by the VHP. They have found nothing objectionable about the film.
The VHP says this film insults the sentiments of the Hindus
I can assure you that there is nothing like that. The film is the story of a film actor and the song Iraniyan Nadagam (the drama of Hiranya) is a small piece in the film. The demon Hiranyakashipu (played by Kamal) says the same lines that all of us who grew up reading Amar Chitra Katha know. Hiranya says god is not there and Prahlaada says god is there. It is a clear misunderstanding on VHP's part.
Are you going to show the film to VHP?
Nobody has seen the film other than us and the censors. They listened to the song in the audio cassette (lyrics are by Kamal) and that is all.Let the film release. Let them all see how well Kamal has acted, how I have directed. Whether it is the government or the common man, nobody will find anything objectionable.
Do you see trouble over the film's release?
We are not going to that situation at all. On May 1, the film will release in Tamil and Telugu in 1,500 theatres with subtitles, all over the world. I am very happy that the censor board said all the relationships in the film have come out in a very dignified way. I've done 150 films as a leading man, five as a director. This is my debut film in Tamil and Telugu as a director. I totally enjoyed the experience. It is a film I will be proud of, life long. I will never do anything that will hurt anybody anytime.
After Dasavatharam and Viswaroopam, the VHP is now seeking a ban on one more Kamal Hassan film. How are you going to tackle this problem?
I have finished my film, shown it to the censor board at Chennai. They saw it, knowing the objections raised by the VHP. They have found nothing objectionable about the film.
The VHP says this film insults the sentiments of the Hindus
I can assure you that there is nothing like that. The film is the story of a film actor and the song Iraniyan Nadagam (the drama of Hiranya) is a small piece in the film. The demon Hiranyakashipu (played by Kamal) says the same lines that all of us who grew up reading Amar Chitra Katha know. Hiranya says god is not there and Prahlaada says god is there. It is a clear misunderstanding on VHP's part.
Are you going to show the film to VHP?
Nobody has seen the film other than us and the censors. They listened to the song in the audio cassette (lyrics are by Kamal) and that is all.Let the film release. Let them all see how well Kamal has acted, how I have directed. Whether it is the government or the common man, nobody will find anything objectionable.
Do you see trouble over the film's release?
We are not going to that situation at all. On May 1, the film will release in Tamil and Telugu in 1,500 theatres with subtitles, all over the world. I am very happy that the censor board said all the relationships in the film have come out in a very dignified way. I've done 150 films as a leading man, five as a director. This is my debut film in Tamil and Telugu as a director. I totally enjoyed the experience. It is a film I will be proud of, life long. I will never do anything that will hurt anybody anytime.
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