CHENNAI: Sohan Roy, director of the controversial film ‘Dam 999’ which is banned by the Tamil Nadu government for indirectly depicting the collapse of Mullaiperiyar dam, on Monday appeared before Rameshram Mishra, Home Secretary of the State government and presented his views on the film. When contacted, Roy told Express that he would move the Supreme Court on December 17 if the Tamil Nadu government fails to pass orders lifting the ban on his film by December 16. Roy’s legal advisor also accompanied him during the hearing which lasted for 45 minutes at Fort St George. Roy was given heavy police security from the Chennai airport to the hotel where he stayed and till his return.Roy maintained that he had not said anything to create fear psychosis among the people of Tamil Nadu and Kerala and he had planned the film many months ago. During the hearing, Sohan Roy said, he was asked to clarify his presence at a hunger strike related to the dam issue in Kerala, if his movie had nothing to do with Mullaiperiyar.Roy said he had visited the place to extend support to the agitators since he felt that if the dam collapses, he might be one of the victims. “It is my fundamental right to take part in any agitation and I have not done anything illegal”, he added.When asked why he directed a movie about such a controversial theme that is related to an ongoing case in the Supreme Court, Roy said “James Cameron’s upcoming 3D documentary is about the Xikrin-Kayapó tribe in Brazil and their attempt to stop the construction of the Belo Monte hydroelectric project. Can anyone ask Cameron to stop his film?”, he countered.The Tamil Nadu government banned the film on November 24, a day before its release, saying that the story of the film would create fear psychosis among the people of Kerala and Tamil Nadu and would also create law and order problems.
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