”Vishwaroopam’ controversy sad time for Indian cinema’s 100 years’

Mumbai, Feb 1 (IANS) Bollywood filmmaker Madhur Bhandarkar says it is sad that while everyone is talking about celebrating 100 years of Indian cinema, on the other hand, maverick actor-filmmaker Kamal Haasan has been drawn into a controversy over his mega-budget movie “Vishwaroopam”.

“The way he is going through everywhere to release his film, it’s very sad. It is a very sad day for the hundred years of cinema that we are all talking about. This is absolutely sad,” the 46-year-old said here Thursday in an interview.

Kamal Haasan warned Thursday that he would “seriously leave” India if similar protests again envelop his films.

“Anybody in Kamal Haasan’s place would react in the same way because definitely he is sad. So much money has been invested. It’s a Rs.95 crore movie. It is sad. He has been traumatised. I understand his trauma and his plight,” added Bhandarkar.

Meanwhile, a conclusion on the release of “Vishwaroopam” in Tamil Nadu, is only expected to be announced later Friday.

The multi-lingual espionage thriller was scheduled to release in Tamil and Telugu on Jan 25. A day earlier, the Tamil Nadu government imposed a two-week ban on the film after some Muslim groups objected to some scenes they felt were derogatory to their community.

The film’s Hindi version, “Vishwaroop”, released Friday.

IANS 2013-02-01 15:18:04