In Pics: The Vishwaroopam controversy so far

It was a dramatic Wednesday for Kamal Haasan's fans with the actor first addressing a press conference demanding for a secular state, then eventually succumbed to pressure and agreed to cut some scenes from his film 'Vishwaroopam'.

Kamal Haasan's film 'Vishwaroopam' was banned in Tamil Nadu on the insistence of some Muslim organisations which felt that it depicted the community in poor light.

Late on Tuesday night, the film got relief from the Madras High Court after the court decided to put in abeyance the prohibitory orders issued by the Tamil Nadu government to delay the film's release. However, the order has now been challenged by the state government.

On Wednesday morning, an emotional Haasan borke his silence on the issue and stated that how he would leave Tamil Nadu and look for a secular place to live outside India and continue to make films in Tamil.

Reactions started pouring in soon after with leading filmmakers showing support to Haasan's film. Rituparno Ghosh siad, "I quite understand the filmmmaker's pain and constraints extraneously imposed - artificial constraints - that is restricting his work to be viewed in its entirety."

"This is hounding of an artist. A man who is an icon of Tamil Nadu. We are sensitive to issues. The group objecting to Vishwaroopam have the freedom not to view it. We will object to the language used by the lawyer representing the Tamil Nadu govt against the censor board," said censor board chief, Leela Samson.

Senior journalist N Ram said, "Put yourself in his shoes and you would say the same thing he's saying. It's unprecedented what someone of his stature is facing."

Shortly after Kamal Haasan's press conference, protestors hurled petrol bombs at two theatres in the Ramanathapuram district. The two theatres were scheduled to screen Vishwaroopam.

Soon, Haasan agreed to cut some scenes from his film and while addressing the press the second time on Wednesday, Haasan said, "My Muslim family has reached out to me. They came and told me which portions they want removed, they told me the scenes they wanted cut and the words of Quran they wanted removed."

South actor Prakash Raj showed solidarity towards Haasan's decision and said, ""Let's see what he has removed, we have to stand by Kamal Hassan, who is known to be a secular person."

"The moment you open your mouth, the moment you express something, you are wrong. What is democracy all about?" questioned noted lyricist Javed Akhtar

But while Haasan agreed to cut scenes, the Madras High Court stayed release of Vishwaroopam in Tamil Nadu. The court stated that it would hear the case again only on Monday.

Mahesh Bhatt condemned the harassment Haasan was facing and said "it's a very dark moment in our history."

Meanhwhile, Chairman, Imam Council of India said: This is a pre planned and publicity stunt from Kamal Hassan.

While earlier, Haasan stated that he would take the case to the Supreme Court, latest reports suggest that he has decided against it.