Ending a week-long suspense and drama, Kamal Hassan’s controversial Tamil film Vishwaroopam is finally poised for release in the state with some cuts after the actor and Muslim groups opposed to it reached a settlement during the state-government brokered talks here on Saturday (February 2) . Emerging after the marathon talks lasting six hours in the presence of Home Secretary R Rajagopal at the Secretariat, Hassan said they have agreed to remove certain audio portions and hoped the government would revoke the ban imposed in the wake of protests by some Muslim outfits which considered the film offensive to their religion. “We will immediately arrange to announce the date of release after consultations, including with technical team,” the actor, who has produced the mega-budget Rs 95 crore film, told reporters ending nearly two-month long uncertainty marked by twists and turns over its release.
Hassan said they would withdraw their petition in the Madras High Court challenging the two-week ban and expressed hope that the government would revoke its action that drew nation-wide criticism for stifling freedom of expression. Tamil Nadu Muslim Munnetra Kazhagam representative M H Jawahirullah, MLA, said Hassan has agreed for some cuts in the film, portions of which Muslims had deemed to be offensive. “The outcome of the meeting is fruitful,” he said as the tripartite meeting came after Chief Minister Jayalalithaa offered to facilitate it to pave the way for the release of the film though she had strongly justified the ban.
