Kamal Haasan's do's but Kamal Fans(Kamalians) don't

WITH two days left for the release of Kamal Haasan’s Dasavathaaram, a sense of restrained elation grips the 18 lakh registered fans of the Tamizhaga Kamal Haasan Narpani Mandram.

Yet, it seems like the recent spurt of multiplexes, their regulations and strict orders from Haasan, who is president of this association, will keep the celebration of fans a low key affair. Fans will definitely put up over 300 banners of the actor in every theatre in the city. But these will last only a week. “Regulations state that we can put up banners only three days before the release and they can stay only for three days after release,” says R Gunaseelan, administrator of the TKHNM.

“Add to these the regulations governing the recent multiplexes. Abirami used to be one of the hotspots for celebrations on the D-Day. But we’re not allowed to do that anymore because it has become a multiplex,” he adds.

And even in theatres where the movie will be screened, celebrations will be relatively subdued. “No paal abhishekams, arathys and crackers as the actor is against that,” says Gunaseelan.

Hassan fans across the country still have their ways to beat the plethora of curbs. During the release of Mumbai Express, fans in Madurai distributed blouse pieces to all women in the theatre. In Dindigul, fans gave out kumkuma chimizhs to all fans. And in Theni, free crackers were given to all those visiting the theatre.

Guneseelan says complying with the actor’s wish to keep it a narpani mandram, plans are on to take senior citizens for the movie in every district.

Apart from the TKHNM, other Haasan fans are also gearing up for the D-Day. In fact, an Orkut Kamal Haasan group has distributed T-Shirts and held a meeting of Kamalians, as these fans call themselves, in Puducherry. A new thread started there states that a member joins and makes plans for the D-Day every two minutes.