The whistles were loud, the shows were packed, and the fandom energy was unmistakable but for some theatre owners, the celebration around Mankatha’s re-release has crossed a worrying line. What began as a nostalgic
big-screen return for Ajith Kumar’s cult classic has now sparked concern over safety and property damage inside cinema halls.
Ajith Kumar’s 2011 film Mankatha returned to theatres on Friday amid a post-Pongal lull, drawing housefull crowds across Tamil Nadu. While fans turned up in large numbers to celebrate the re-release, theatre managements have alleged that celebrations spiralled into unruly behaviour, including bursting crackers inside auditoriums and damaging screens.
Pandian Cinemas in Karaikudi, where a separate incident involving Ajith fans allegedly assaulting a Vijay fan was reported, addressed a different issue through its social media handles. Instead of commenting on the scuffle, the theatre management said their screen had been damaged during celebrations.
In a strongly worded Instagram post on Saturday, the management wrote, “It is with deep concern that we inform you that our Theatre screen was damaged yesterday due to unacceptable behaviour inside the premises. While celebrations are welcome, damaging the theatre screen or any theatre property is strictly unacceptable. Such incidents lead to show disruptions, financial loss, and inconvenience to fellow moviegoers.”
The theatre further announced changes to its screening practices following the incident. They said they would no longer play mashup videos inside the auditorium or replay scenes on audience demand. Ending the message with a reminder to fans, the management added, “Cinema is an Emotion. Respect is a Responsibility.”
Concerns were echoed by the owners of Vidya Theatre in Chennai after a video from one of the screenings went viral on X (formerly Twitter). The clip, shared by a fan, showed people bursting crackers inside the theatre as Vilayadu Mankatha played on screen. The post read, “Inside theatre pattasu. Yesterday night show Vidya tambaram #AK #Mankatha #MankathaRerelese.”
Theatre owner reshared the video and criticised the behaviour, warning that such actions discourage theatres from hosting re-releases. “This is something we seriously condemn. We try to give people the best experience and they come do this. Makes us want to refrain from screening rereleases,” he wrote.
Several users also weighed in on the issue. One X user commented under the post, “This is a serious issue that should not be encouraged by any theatre owners. Apart from damaging theatre property, it also involves serious safety risks for the audience.”
Meanwhile, Ajith Kumar has largely stayed away from films after his 2025 releases Vidaamuyarchi and Good Bad Ugly, choosing instead to focus on his racing career. The actor is yet to announce his next acting project.
