'Vishwaroopam' release postponed

Chennai: The premiering of Kamal Haasan's new movie 'Vishwaroopam' first on direct-to-home (DTH) platform may not happen on January 10 as Rajkamal Films has postponed the release date, say DTH operators.

"We have a communication (from Rajkamal Films) about the postponement of movie release on DTH platform and in theatres," Salil Kapoor, COO, Dish TV told us.

"In line with the postponement of the release date of the movie 'Vishwaroopam (Tamil & Telugu)/Vishwaroop (Hindi)' across theatres and on the DTH platform by Rajkamal Films, we have stopped taking bookings for the movie premiere that was scheduled for January 10, 2013 at 9.30 p.m. on Airtel DTH," Shashi Arora, CEO-DTH/Media, Bharti Airtel was quoted as saying in a statement issued by the company.

"We are awaiting confirmation from Rajkamal Films on the revised dates," he said.

The theatre release which was to happen on January 11 too stands postponed and the revised dates are yet to be announced by Rajkamal Films.

Queried about the money paid by the subscribers to watch the movie on January 10, Kapoor said: "We will go by what our customer want us to do. If they want a refund, we will refund the money."

Queried whether Dish TV would be able to get compensation from Rajkamal Films for the money it spent on promoting the movie, Kapoor said: "The release of the movie has been postponed and nothing else has happened."

Both Airtel and Dish TV are silent on the number of bookings they have got for the movie.

The decision to premiere the movie on DTH platform first is opposed by theatre owners.