With no end in sight for the deadlock over ban on film Baahubali 2 by pro-Kannada activists, theatres in Chennai have reportedly cancelled the screening of three Kannada movies—Shuddhi, Srinivasa Kalyana and Chakravarthy.
In retaliation, the Karnataka Film Chamber called for a ban on all Tamil movies across the state.
In Chennai, though the viewership for Kannada films is limited, the ban has come as a jolt for the film industry. Theatre owners association is yet to confirm this development. Again, sources say, this is an attack to torpedo the growing career of actor Sathyaraj. Sathyaraj, who was slowly garnering popularity, had signed a few Tamil and Kannada films—also said to be a reason for targeting him.
On Friday, Sathyaraj on Friday expressed "wholehearted regret" over his Cauvery-dispute remarks and appealed for the smooth release of the film Baahubali: The Conclusion, directed by S.S. Rajamouli. Sathyaraj, who plays Kattappa in Baahubali, had allegedly made derogatory remarks against Tamil Nadu at the height of the Cauvery dispute. The remarks, which were recently publicised through social media, had angered pro-Kannada outfits.
