The Tamil Nadu government has thrashed ‘The Kerala Story’ film makers’ allegationr that it has imposed de-facto ‘shadow ban’ on the controversial film stating that instead it provided security at theatres where the film was released and 19 multiplexes where the film was exhibited withdrew it after poor audience response.

In an affidavit filed in response to the notice issued by the top court on May 12, the Tamil Nadu government has said, “The exhibitors have themselves stopped the screening of the movie due to the poor audience response and the government cannot do anything to increase the audience patronage for the said film, except to provide security to the cinema theatres.”

A top court bench of Chief Justice D.Y. Chandrachud and Justice Pamidighantam Sri Narasimha had on May 12 sought Tamil Nadu government’s response on film producer’s allegation of the State government imposing a “de facto” ban on the film in the State.

The court had also sought West Bengal government’s reply on filmmakers’ challenge to the ban on the screening of the film in the state.

The matter is coming up for hearing on Wednesday (May 17).

Telling the court that it had deployed over 965 police personnel including 25 DSPs for the protection of the 21 movie theatres which had screened the film, Tamil Nadu government has said that the theatre owners had voluntarily stopped screening the film on May 7 onwards due to poor performance of actors/ poor response to the movie or lack of well-known actors in the movie.

 “The multiplex owners took the decision to stop screening the film from May 5 in view of the criticism received by it / lack of well-known actors / poor performance / poor audience response. The State exercises no control decision. It is reiterated that this decision was made by the theatre owners on their own and the State had no role to play over the same,” the affidavit has said.

Tamil Nadu has debunked the allegations of filmmakers that it had issued an “alert” anticipating protests in connection with the release of the film due to which theatres in the State withdrew the film.

The top court had on May 12 questioned the West Bengal government over banning the film saying that the movie is running in other parts of the country having the same demographic profile as West Bengal.

“The movie is being released all over the country, why should West Bengal ban the movie? West Bengal is not different from other parts of the Country. If it can run in other parts of the country, why should the State of West Bengal ban the film? It is running in other parts of the country which have a similar demographic profile as West Bengal”, the court had said, apparently not appreciating the ban order.

The court had told the West Bengal government to leave the worth of the film to the judgment of the people.

The Chief Justice Chandrachud had said, “If the public does not think that the film is not worth seeing, they will not see it. This has nothing to do with the cinematic value of the movie, it may be good or bad. Why should you not allow a film to run?”