The Karnataka High Court on Tuesday asked the state government to provide security to theatres who want to screen Tamil superstar Rajinikanth’s Kaala in Tamil and other versions from Thursday.

Justice G Narendar’s interim order came on a petition filed on Monday by the film’s producer Dhanush and director Aishwarya, seeking its direction for police protection to exhibitors from pro-Kannada activists, who opposed the film’s screening to protest the megastar’s recent remarks on the sharing of the Cauvery river water between Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.

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Dhanush is Rajinikanth’s son-in-law and Aishwarya is his daughter.

State’s Additional Advocate General A G Shivanna told the court during the hearing that the state government did not ban the screening of the film but the distributors and exhibitors had voluntarily decided not to screen it to avoid any law and order problem.

He also assured the court that the state government would provide security to theatres screening the film in the state.

The court also directed the petitioners to submit names of distributors who bought the film’s rights and list of exhibitors ready to screen it under security.