On Thursday, protests in Mandya against the Cauvery Water Regulation Committee (CWRC) intensified, and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay and his film, Jana Nayagan, faced the ire of Kannada activists. Posters were torn, and shows of his Tamil film were halted in Karnataka as protesters urged the state government not to release Cauvery water to TN.
Jana Nayagan shows halted, posters torn
On July 30, activists protested against the decision to release 3500 cusecs of Cauvery water daily to Tamil Nadu for 15 days. As Jana Nayagan is currently running in theatres, the protests have reached the cinema halls too. At Gurushri Cinema, where the film was being screened, the activists laid siege to the theatre, held talks with the management and demanded that the screening be stopped. The management subsequently agreed to cancel it after posters were also torn and slogans were raised against the CWRC’s directive.
What is the Cauvery protest about?
The people of Mandya district are protesting against the release of water to TN, even though Karnataka suffers from drought. One of the protesters said, “Chief Minister D K Shivakumar, please tell them (the authorities concerned) that we don’t even have drinking water, nor do we have water for our livestock. People are in a desperate situation. Request them to give us some more time.” A memorandum was also submitted to the government expressing support for the farmers’ agitation in the district.
Film industry joins the cause
The CWMA decision triggered reactions from the Karnataka Film Chamber of Commerce (KFCC) and Kannada film personalities. KFCC president Jayamala said, “We have always stood with farmers. If language survives, if people survive, and if our land and water remain with us, then we survive. Whenever these are threatened, we will always stand with the farmers.”
Producer Rockline Venkatesh said, “Whenever the Karnataka Film Chamber of Commerce takes a decision, all its affiliated organisations will stand by it. We will be with this agitation and every other agitation concerning the state’s land, water and language.”
About Jana Nayagan
Jana Nayagan is directed by Vinoth and produced by Venkat K Narayana under KVN Productions. Initially scheduled for release on January 9, it was postponed due to a delay in CBFC certification. In April, the film was also leaked online.
It stars Vijay, Bobby Deol, Pooja Hegde, and Mamitha Baiju in the lead roles alongside Nassar, Prakash Raj, Gautham Vasudev Menon, Narain, and Priyamani. It is a remake of the 2023 Telugu film Bhagavanth Kesari.
With inputs from agencies