PTI

Bangalore, June 15: 'Sivaji-The Boss', the much- awaited film starring Tamil superstar Rajnikanth, was today released in theatres here amid tight police security following threats by the Karnataka Rakshana Vedike that they would sabotage all screenings.

"No untoward incident has been reported so far," Additional Commissioner of Police (Law and Order) Bipin Gopalakrishna told PTI today.

"The film is being screened in 10 theatres and three multiplexes in the city and we have ensured full police protection in all these areas," he said.

The Karnataka Rakshana Vedike, a pro-Kannada outfit, had earlier threatened to stop the screening on the grounds that the shooting of two Kannada films in Tamil Nadu had been stopped and also following Rajnikanth's position on the controversial Cauvery issue.

The Tamil star is being perceived as pro-Jayalalithaa by the group, which also cited the poor collection of Kannada films when a Tamil film is being screened for raising its objection.

However, the Karnataka Film Chamber of Commerce said "the film is being screened in keeping with an earlier agreement on the release of non-Kannada movies".

As per the agreement, only a few theatres would screen non-Kannada films to safeguard the interest of the Karnataka film industry, which is witnessing a dip.

In the case of `Sivaji', out of the 1,200 theatres in the state, only 13 theatres in Bangalore and four outside the city are screening it. There has been no breach of agreement relating to the screening of the film, the chamber maintained.

According to the Karnataka Rakshana Vedike, as per the rules agreed by the chamber, non-Kannada films could be released here only after seven weeks of their release. The release of Sivaji would affect two other Kannada films that were released on Friday.

Nothwithstanding all the objections, Rajnikanth fans today made a beeline to the theatres screening the films. Some had to return home disappointed with the 'house full' boards up at some of the theatres.

According to theatre officials, tickets in some of the leading multiplexes had been sold out till Tuesday.

One theatre saw a fan walking in as early as 3.30 AM to book his ticket. The theatre was forced to open its counter at nine AM itself after nearly 1,000 fans stood outside the counter to purchase the tickets.

Meanwhile, the Tamil speaking population, which forms a considerable chunk of the society in the city, had made it very clear that it would not tolerate any kind of interruption during the screening of the film, starring the megastar.

Interestingly, a fan who had come to watch the movie at one of the theatres, said that he had come along with 200 others to watch the movie. "We managed to get 200 tickets, but I am feeling sad for 30 more friends who could not accompany us to the theatre today, since we could not get more tickets", he said summing up the Rajnikanth frenzy.