Chennai: Theatres in Tamil Nadu stopped screening ‘The Kerala Story’ as “a precautionary measure” on Sunday, two days after the controversial film that has been declared tax-free in BJP-governed MP opened in 16 multiplexes of the state amid protests by several organizations.

The TN Theatre and Multiplex Owners’ Association denied bowing to alleged pressure from the DMK government, saying the decision to withdraw the Sudipto Sen-directed film was taken to “maintain law and order” and “protect our properties” from potential trouble triggered by those opposed to the theme.

Association joint secretary S Sridhar claimed footfall had dwindled by Saturday anyway, blaming it on police frisking those visiting theatres screening the film. “We replaced it with ‘Ponniyin Selvan’ and other releases.”

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Chennai: Citing protests and the fear of damage to properties, theatres in TN have stopped screening ‘The Kerala Story’. They also claimed police frisking was putting off people. People visit theatres to get entertained, but there's a question mark over whether they will put up with so much trouble to watch a movie, said a member of the TN Theatre and Multiplex Owners Association, reports Venkadesan S.

In Chennai and Coimbatore, only two cities in TN where select multiplexes had been showing the film, the Naam Tamilar Katchi and Tamil Nadu Thowheed Jamaath organized protests, saying the film portrays Muslims in poor light.

The film is purportedly based on the “true story” of three women from Kerala who allegedly joined terror outfit IS. The makers had initially claimed 32,000 women from Kerala had been radicalized only to retract the statement and assure the Kerala HC that they would remove it from posters and promos.