ONE DAY FAST OF TAMIL FILM ACTORS TO SUPPORT SRILANKAN TAMILS

Stars of Kollywood rose as one for a cause on Saturday. The cameras remained unused and the clap boards made no noise. The reason - film shooting was cancelled as artistes assembled at the South Indian Artistes Association (SIAA) for an eight-hour fast in support of Sri Lankan Tamils.

Several leading actors and technicians voiced their concern over the sufferings that Tamils were undergoing in Sri Lanka.

Sarathkumar, president of SIAA and Radha Ravi, General Secretary, led the fast.

The cinema industry, Mr.Sarathkumar said, had always been sensitive to people’s issues. He gave Rs.2.5 lakh towards the Sri Lankan Tamils Relief Fund. Mr. Radha Ravi said in order to express their solidarity, Kollywood had downed their shutters on Saturday, and no film shooting was allowed.

Actor Rajinikanth, who gave a cheque for Rs.10 lakh, praised the SIAA for organising the fast and said he was confident that the Central and State governments would act seriously on the issue. Actor Kamal Haasan, who gave a cheque for Rs.5 lakh, in his emotionally charged speech, said the fast would convey to the world, the true sentiments of cinema industry.

Actor Napolean said there was scope for a negotiated political peace settlement for the ethnic strife. Prominent among the film stars who spoke included actors Surya, Vijay, Vikram, Ajith, Sathyaraj, Partheeban, Prabhu, Simbu, Dhanush, Vadivelu, Nayanthara, Trisha, Sneha, Manorama, and Khushboo.

The General Secretary of Viduthulai Chiruthaigal Katchi, Thol Thirumavalavan, who gave a cheque for Rs.50,000, said he took pride in extending support to the fast organised by the cinema industry and said he hoped the tears shed by the celluloid world would make an impact in the island nation.

Actor and AIADMK MLA, S.Ve. Shekher, Tamil Nationalist Movement leader, Pazha Nedumaran, were present on the occasion.

Veteran actor S.S. Rajendran ended the fast with his speech and said it was not the first time that the cinema industry was displaying its solidarity to the Tamils in Sri Lanka. He recalled a mammoth public rally few decades ago with doyen of the film industry Sivaji Ganesan, leading it. The fast came to an end with Mr. Rajendran distributing juice symbolically to all the artistes, bringing the curtains down for a show of solidarity.