Kamal Haasan moves CCI on 'Vishwaroopam'

Actor-director alleges theatre owners stalled his film's DTH release

Actor-director Kamal Haasan's Rajkamal Films has moved Competition Commission of India (CCI) against some theatre associations for allegedly restricting the release of his film 'Vishwaroopam'.

"We have received a complaint and are likely to take a call on the issue next week," a senior CCI official said.

A spokesperson for Haasan did not immediately respond to queries.

Rajkamal Films had scheduled the release of the film first on DTH platform on January 10.

The DTH release was shelved after vehement opposition from theatre associations. The movie would now hit the theatres first on January 25 in 500 screens across Tamil Nadu.

Tamil Nadu Theatre Owners Association and Madurai-based Ramanathapuram United Film Distributors had threatened not to release it in theatres.

CCI looks into anti-competitive practices across sectors and the Tamil actor is believed to have complained against theatre associations forming a kind of cartel to restrict release of the film.

In November 2012, CCI had rejected cine-star Ajay Devgn's complaint against Yash Raj Films (YRF) for alleged abuse of dominant position in Hindi film industry, as the regulator did not violate competition norms.

Ajay Devgn Films Pvt Ltd had alleged that YRF was using its dominant position to ask exhibitors to dedicate more screens to its upcoming release, 'Jab Tak Hai Jaan', than for release of his film 'Son of Sardaar' on November 13.