South Africa tour of India 2019
Tamil Nadu Retains Ban on 4 AM Film Shows
Tamil Nadu has relaxed some cinema screening rules but continues to prohibit controversial 4 AM movie shows. The state’s film culture is famous for massive celebrations during superstar releases, where fans often gather outside theatres late at night.
Over the years, screening timings gradually shifted from morning shows to extremely early 4 AM and 5 AM screenings for major films.
Recently, Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay approved a new rule allowing theatres to screen five shows daily during the first week of a newly released Tamil film. Earlier, theatres were generally restricted to four shows unless they obtained special permission. The change is expected to benefit theatre owners, producers, and distributors by increasing revenue during opening weekends.
However, the government has deliberately avoided reviving pre-dawn screenings. The decision follows the tragic death of an Ajith Kumar fan during celebrations for the release of Thunivu in 2023. At the time, Thunivu and Varisu had extremely early screenings, leading to overcrowding and chaotic scenes outside theatres.
Following the incident, authorities tightened regulations and restricted early morning shows. While the latest amendment supports the business side of cinema, Tamil Nadu’s government remains firm on maintaining safer and more controlled screening timings.
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