RELATIONS SOUR BETWEEN MARAN AND DMK

CHENNAI: The tussle between the Maran brothers and Chief Minister M Karunanidhi worsened further on Saturday.
The provocation this time was the alleged prevention of screening of Maran brothers-owned Sun Pictures’ movie Kathalil Vizhunthen in the southern districts on Friday.
Most theatre owners in these districts were reportedly warned by DMK men not to screen the movie on the opening day on Friday.

Incidentally, Chief Minister M Karunanidhi’s Madurai-based son and DMK strongman M K Azhagiri calls the shots in the southern districts.

The war of words between the two families began on Saturday with Karunanidhi making an oblique reference to Sun Pictures’ movie at a film function in the city by saying that he had never obstructed the release of films, even those which expressed views opposing him.

In its news bulletin on Friday, Sun TV narrated the difficulties faced by Sun Pictures in releasing Kathalil Vizhunthen, while Tamil Murasu and Dinakaran, the Tamil dailies owned by Maran brothers, gave wide coverage, accusing the DMK Government of playing spoilsport in the issue.
Sun Network also lodged a complaint with the Home Secretary on Friday, stating that supporters of Azhagiri were intimidating theatre owners against screening the movie.
The State Government reacted on Saturday by issuing a statement denying the allegation of Sun Pictures that the release of their film was stalled in Madurai.

The statement said distributors and theatre owners had the right to screen any movie which fulfilled Censor Board certification norms.
“Some persons were leveling unnecessary charges out of selfish motives,” it added.
Within a few hours, Sun Network fired their salvo charging the government with distancing itself from the whole issue.
“Allowing persons to obstruct films produced by those who had fallen out of their (DMK first family’s) favour will only set a bad precedent,” Sun Network said.
Earlier, Azhagiri dashed off a legal notice to Sun Network stating that his image was tarnished by allegations levelled against him in the screening of Sun Pictures’ movie.