An Indian English film based on damage wreaked by the collapse of a dam has caused an uproar in two Southern states, leading Tamil Nadu to ban the scheduled release of the film tomorrow (November 25).
The film Dam 999 is being opposed by Tamil politicians as being against the interests of their state. The film has nothing to do with Mullaperiyar Dam, over which the two states are divided. But through its anti-dam message, the film seems to have kindled raw emotions among the Tamil political parties.
The 116-year-old Mullaperiyar dam is situated in Kerala, but benefits Tamil Nadu. The dam has recently developed cracks following minor tremors in the region. Kerala government has been expressing concern over the safety of the people in four districts near the dam.
It is in this backdrop that the political parties in Tamil Nadu including DMK, PMK and MDMK demanded a ban, which was promptly implemented by Jayalalithaa government today.
“It is unfair to ban the film without watching it. We have even offered to screen the film to Tamil Nadu politicians, but nobody listens to us,” an upset director of the film Sohan Roy said.
Dam 999, a 3-D film produced by BizTV Network, UAE. is a story of nine characters and their emotions. The lives of all the nine characters revolve around the central edifice, the pressure mounted DAM, says the film’s director.
The film’s website says that ‘DAM999 is a tribute to the 1975 Banqiao Dam disaster in china that claimed 250,000 innocent lives’.
MDMK chief Vaiko alleged that the film, starring Indian and Hollywood actors, was financed by Keralites. Ashish Vidyarthi, Joshua Fredric Smith, Rajit Kapur, Linda Arsenio and Vimala Raman are among the cast. Warner Bros. will release DAM999 in India in both 2D and 3D. The film will also be distributed across the world.
