'Master' Screening: Police Book Case Against Theatre for COVID-19 Violation

14-01-2021

Chennai: After people thronged cinemas for popular Tamil actor Vijay starrer 'Master', police on Wednesday booked a case against a theatre here for allegedly violating the state government order on permitting only 50 percent occupancy during screening of films due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The popular theatre in the city was one among the many in Tamil Nadu where the movie was released coinciding with the Pongal harvest festival, and is said to have enjoyed a good opening on its first day. The incident came to light when videos of the crowds went viral on social media. The MGR Nagar police, who registered a case against the theatre management, said a penalty of Rs 5,000 was levied. The theatre reportedly allowed more viewers to watch the first big-ticket release since the coronavirus-indcued lockdown kicked in last year. Visuals, purportedly from inside the theatre, showed people occupying almost all the seats in clear violation of COVID-19 regulation like physical distancing. Many of the viewers in the videos were found not wearing masks. The much awaited film in which another top actor Vijay Sethupathi and Malavika Mohanan play lead roles was released in different states in the country on Wednesday and attracted massive crowds in Tamil Nadu. Directed by Lokesh Kanagaraj under Xavier Britto's XB Film Creators banner, 'Master' has had a phenomenal opening in the state, with fans thronging the cinema halls to watch the first show of the film in the wee hours, according to sources.