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Various cinema owners and associations, including the Tamil Nadu Theatre Owners Association, might have to pay a hefty penalty for allegedly restricting the release of superstar Kamal Haasan’s spy thriller Vishwaroopam earlier this year.
The Competition Commission of India (CCI), which had ordered a probe following a complaint by Haasan, has received a report from its director-general (investigation). It was likely to pass a decision against the cinema associations soon, official sources said.
Haasan, who had initially planned to launch the trilingual (Tamil, Telugu and Hindi) film on the direct-to-home (DTH) platform, ahead of its release in theatres, had to change his strategy, owing to protests from theatre owners. Subsequently, Haasan approached CCI, alleging industry bodies had adopted anti-competitive practices to restrict the release of his film. He said the association had acted like a cartel — its members had acted in concert, deciding not to exhibit any film, including Vishwaroopam, if it was already released on the DTH platform.
According to the official, the DG report has found enough evidence supporting the complaint and therefore, the CCI may soon pass an order penalising those associations and cinema owners who were involved in it.
Actor-director-producer Haasan had roped in DTH companies Airtel, Dish, Videocon and Reliance to screen his film on January 10. However, due to protests and various controversies, the film was released in Tamil Nadu in February. Rajkamal Films International had scheduled the release of the Rs 95-crore film on the DTH platform at Rs 1,000 (for the Tamil version) and Rs 500 (for the Hindi and Telugu versions).
The Confederation of Theatre Owners and Distributors Associations had also opposed Haasan’s plans to release his movie on DTH first.
Late last year, actor-producer Ajay Devgn had approached CCI, alleging Yash Raj Films was using its dominant position to ask exhibitors to dedicate more screens for its film Jab Tak Hai Jaan, affecting Devgn’s film Son of Sardaar (both the films were to be released on the same day). CCI, however, turned down Devgn’s plea, saying no competition law had been violated.
