By Sonja Candppa The decision to ban or not the screening of South Indian actor and director, Kamal Haasan’s film Vishwaroopam in Sri Lanka, will be made after the film is viewed by the Public Performance Board on February 4, while taking into consideration the views of the Muslim Media Forum, National Film Corporation Chairman [...]

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Vishwaroopam screening subject to Censors’ review

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By Sonja Candppa

The decision to ban or not the screening of South Indian actor and director, Kamal Haasan’s film Vishwaroopam in Sri Lanka, will be made after the film is viewed by the Public Performance Board on February 4, while taking into consideration the views of the Muslim Media Forum, National Film Corporation Chairman Ashoka Serasinhe said.

The public screening of the 950-million-rupee (Indian) budget film in local theatres from January 25 was postponed after protests by some Muslim groups which found it offensive. The film was also banned in Tamil Nadu and Malaysia for similar reasons.

The film was screened to 25 persons recommended by the Sri Lanka Muslim Media Forum (SLMMF), comprising Muslim writers, directors, veteran critics and clergy. After the screening, the SLMMF said the film should be banned, as it depicts Muslims as ‘barbarians’, and was made only to please the West.

SLMMF President N.M. Ameen said that Vishwaroopam tries to show Islam as a form of terrorism, adding that only 20 minutes of the two-and-a-half-hour film was acceptable for screening; emphasising that Muslim sentiments are ridiculed by showing prayers being recited before the execution of people.

Mass Media and Information Minister Keheliya Rambukwella, in a media release, said that the temporary ban of the film was ‘to protect racial harmony’.

Local actor, director and Member of Parliament Ranjan Ramanayake said it was wrong to ridicule or disrespect any religion or belief when making films. However, MP Ramanayake also defended Actor and Director Kamal Haasan, saying, even though he had not viewed Vishwaroopam yet, Hasaan was one of the best movie-makers with a rare creativity and hence, one must not just judge his movie without viewing it with an unbiased mind.




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