Amaran makers apologise to student, mask his phone number in the film

RKFI says it was an inadvertent oversight that occurred during the Computer Graphics work 

The producers of Amaran, a recently released Tamil movie starring Sivakarthikeyan and Sai Pallavi in lead roles, have issued an apology to V.V. Vaageesan, an engineering student, for inadvertently displaying his personal mobile number in a scene from the film.

The response came after the student sent a legal notice to the producers, demanding ₹1.1 crore in compensation for the “untold hardships and mental agony” caused by the scene. In response, Raaj Kamal Films International (RKFI) expressed regret for the “inadvertence” that led to the number being included and confirmed that it had since been removed.

Mr. Vaageesan’s ordeal began on October 31, 2024, when Amaran premiered in theatres. In one particular scene, Sai Pallavi’s character tosses a crumpled piece of paper to the hero, with her mobile number written on it. The numberhappened to belong to Mr. Vaageesan, who was unaware of the movie or its connection to Major Mukund Varadarajan, whose life the film portrays.

Following the release, Mr. Vaageesan began receiving calls from strangers across India and abroad, many of whom wished to speak to Ms. Pallavi. Others assumed that the number belonged to Indu Rebecca Varghese, the wife of Major Mukund Varadarajan. 

Overwhelmed by the relentless calls, the student was forced to either turn off his phone or keep it on silent mode for about a week.

On November 7, 2024, The Hindu published a story highlighting Mr. Vaageesan’s plight. Despite his social media posts urging the film’s director and lead actor to address the issue, and media coverage amplifying his distress, no action was taken initially. Left with no other choice, he sent a legal notice.

‘Error regretted’ 

In response, RKFI, through its counsel, expressed deep concern over the nuisance and inconvenience caused to Mr. Vaageesan, due to incessant calls from strangers. The producers acknowledged that the inclusion of the student’s mobile number in the film was an inadvertent oversight that occurred during the computer graphics process.

RKFI’s counsel denied allegations that the mobile number was displayed wilfully or deliberately. He clarified that the annoyance or irritation caused to the student was more due to the actions of certain miscreants, who appeared to have taken deliberate efforts to exploit the mobile number, that was displayed momentarily in the film.

The production house further said that immediate steps had been taken to remove the mobile number from all theatrical prints in Tamil Nadu and from versions intended for television and OTT platforms.

Commenting on the issue, C. Munusamy, counsel for Mr. Vaageesan, criticised the producer’s delayed response. “Had RKFI acted promptly, some damage control could have been achieved. However, their reluctance to acknowledge the issue in a timely manner only prolonged my client’s ordeal, leaving him inundated with incessant calls from unknown and unscrupulous individuals round-the-clock. This has made his life miserable and caused immense mental distress,” he said.

Mr. Munusamy alleged violation of his client’s privacy and fundamental rights, stating, “You cannot do business at the expense of an individual’s privacy. My client’s ability to carry out his routine activities has been severely affected by this negligence. Despite the producers’ assurances, he continues to receive calls, leaving him with no option but to approach the court of law,” he said.

Published - December 04, 2024 09:22 pm IST