India Today. Mumbai, May 11, 2010.
The raging protest by Tamil groups has cast a shadow over Amitabh Bachchan’s participation the in the India International Film Awards (IIFA) function in Colombo.
Big B has been facing the ire of Tamil community over his participation in the India International Film Awards (IIFA) function in Sri Lanka. He now may skip the event to show solidarity with Tamil groups.
There is also an air of uncertainty over screening of Abhishek and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan-starrer Raavan being screened at the IIFA function in Colombo. The makers of the movie are now planning not to screen it during IIFA and take it to Cannes instead.
The idea came after Tamil groups in Chennai and Mumbai protested Big B’s participation in the IIFA’s upcoming function. Bachchan is the brand ambassador of IIFA.
Earlier, a group of Tamil protesters descended on Big B’s residence in Mumbai on Tuesday and urged him to boycott the Colombo awards ceremony. Tamil groups have been claiming that by visiting Sri Lanka Big B would lend credibility to a regime which oppressed their community.
Demonstrating outside the Big B’s residence protestor C. Rajendran said, “We are on a hunger strike as we do not want the IIFA Awards to be held in Sri Lanka. Tamils are not happy over taking IIFA Awards function to Sri Lanka.”
On Sunday, Tamil groups in Chennai had staged protest against him for promoting the IIFA ceremony in Colombo. They have even threatened to boycott Bachchan’s movies if the actor did not reconsider his decision.
The actor had responded on his blog after the protest. He had said that he will respect sentiments of all.