Superstar Kamal Haasan's controversial film, "Vishwaroopam" is doing well at both domestic and overseas box offices but the Malaysian government is yet to lift the ban on the film even weeks after it hit the theatres in the rest of the world.
The film was released in Malaysia on Jan 24 after the National Film Development Corporation (FINAS) cleared it but Home Minister Hishammuddin Hussein imposed ban on its screening after Muslim groups protested alleging that it shows Muslim community in a bad light.
"Vishwaroopam" has been dogged by controversies ever since actor Kamal Haasan announced the release date.
All the three versions (Tamil, Telugu and Hindi) of the film were originally scheduled for release worldwide on Jan 25 but it was released only abroad due to legal issues following protests by Muslim groups alleging that a few scenes were of bad taste.
The Hindi version, "Vishwaroop" was released in about 800 theatres on Feb 1 but the Tamil version was further delayed after the Jayalalithaa government imposed banned on its screening citing Section 144 of CrPC despite clearance by the censor board.
The makers of the film finally announced the release date of the film in Tamil Nadu after the state government lifted the ban following an "amicable settlement" with the Muslim groups.
"Vishwaroop" (Hindi version) has so far collected ₹12.75 crore from domestic box office after the second weekend and ₹8.74 crore from overseas.
Tamil version, "Vishwaroopam" earned ₹5 crore on the opening day from the state alone but its collection thereafter is still not known. Rahul Bose, who plays one of the lead roles in the film, tweeted that the film has earned ₹120 from Tamil Nadu alone but Kamal Hassan has denied it, saying that it hasn't touched ₹100-crore-mark.
Kamal Haasan not only wrote and directed "Vishwaroopam" but also co-produced it with Chandra Haasan and Prasad Vara Potluri. It features Kamal, Rahul Bose, Pooja Kumar, Andrea Jeremiah and Jaideep Ahlawat in the lead roles.
