Chennai : Actor Kamal Haasan is expected to begin a first round of talks with several Muslim groups today to try and sort differences over his 95-crore spy thriller Vishwaroopam so that it can release in Tamil Nadu. Chief Minister Jayalalithaa has offered to facilitate the discussions. The film opens in theatres across the country today.
 
The Tamil Nadu Home Secretary will be present during Kamal Haasan’s discussions with the Muslim groups, which claim that the film’s depiction of their community is offensive. Ms Jayalalithaa yesterday defended a two-week ban imposed on the movie by her government, but also suggested the terms for a compromise.
 
“Out an amicable agreement, the government will do everything possible to facilitate that… and the deck will be cleared for screening the movie,” she said.  A few hours later, Kamal Haasan, who has also directed and co-produced the film, thanked the Chief Minister and said, “I think she has understood now – she is an artiste, she has come forward.” He also repeated an earlier warning. “If this ever happens again, I will leave the country.”

The actor said that he would speak to his “Muslim brothers” and hoped that the film would not require cuts. “I don’t think the film will have to be chopped. I will talk to my Muslim brothers,” he told.
 
Vishwaroopam was slated to release in Tamil Nadu on January 25 but was banned for two-weeks by the state government on January 23, after the Muslim groups protested against the film. Kamal Haasan has denied allegations about his film. “What I am taking on are irrational acts in the name of religion… More testimonials will then come from film lovers and I will stand cleared of all accusations,” he said.
 
The Madras High Court upheld the ban on Wednesday. The High Court’s ruling means Vishwaroopam cannot release in the state till Wednesday, February 6. Kamal Haasan has said the ban has hurtled him into borderline bankruptcy. He said he has hocked his house and other properties to a money-lender.
 
The actor has received huge support from fans and his colleagues in the film fraternity, who have slammed the Tamil Nadu government for imposing the ban.  

At a press conference on Thursday afternoon, Ms Jayalalithaa refuted criticism that the Vishwaroopam ban violates freedom of expression, or that it was influenced, as her detractors suggested, by political and commercial interests. She said that Muslim groups had threatened to protest outside cinemas booked to show Vishwaroopam. The police force could not have been asked to guard each of the over 500 cinemas booked for Vishwaroopam, she said.
 
Critics had said that by supporting Muslim groups, she was trying to woo a vote-bank that has not backed her so far, and that Kamal Haasan may have upset those close to the chief minister who run Jaya TV, a mouthpiece for her party, which lost a bid for the TV rights to Vishwaroopam. “This is a wild reckless charge against a constitutional authority. We will have to take legal action,” Jayalalithaa said.