Happy with response to ‘Vishwaroop’: Kamal Haasan

Chennai  : Actor-filmmaker Kamal Haasan said Saturday he is pleased with the response to the Hindi version of his controversial film “Vishwaroop” in north India.

The Hindi version released in over 1,000 screens Friday.

“I am extremely happy with the response my film has received in north India,” Kamal Haasan said upon his return to Chennai Saturday.

Kamal Haasan was in Mumbai since Jan 31 promoting “Vishwaroop”. The Tamil and Telugu version, “Vishwaroopam”, still remains banned in Tamil Nadu following protests from Muslim groups over certain scenes in the movie, which seem derogatory to their community.

The versatile actor will meet leaders of Muslim groups later here Saturday in a bid to lift the ban on his film.

On Feb 1, Chandra Haasan, on behalf of the production house Raj Kamal International Films met the leaders of protesting groups in preliminary talks in the presence of Tamil Nadu Home Secretary R. Rajagopal.

Following the preliminary talks, both parties were to meet formally Friday evening, but the same was called off after the opposition party expressed an interest to meet Kamal Haasan himself.

On Jan 31, talks were to take place between Muslim leaders and Tamil filmmaker Ameer Sultan on behalf of Raj Kamal Films International, but the same was called off after both the parties decided that government should mediate the talks.

“We’ve submitted letters to the government requesting it to oversee the talks between Raj Kamal Films International and leaders of all 24 Muslim organisations”, said Chandra Haasan Thursday.

Both parties agreed to sit and discuss the matter after Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa Thursday said her government will do anything to help Haasan release his film if he can reach an amicable solution with the protesting groups.

The Rs.95 crore espionage thriller was originally scheduled to release in Tamil and Telugu on Jan 25.