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Suriya's latest release, Vishwanath and Sons, which opened on August 14, ran into last-minute screening difficulties across Chennai theatres hours before its opening day. According to reports, moviegoers and fans noticed that some of the biggest theatres in the city had not opened ticket pre-booking for the film from nearly a week before the release. Closer to the release, theatre owners took to social media to clarify the situation.
Several cinema halls in the city announced that they would be unable to screen the film for the first show, with few citing that negotiations with the film's distributors and exhibitors over the revenue-sharing arrangement could not be finalised in time.
Since the commercial terms between both parties took longer than expected to be finalised, this meant the film missed a significant window for advance booking momentum at select screens ahead of its release
On August 13, the night before the film's release, Nikilesh Surya, the manager of Chennai's Rohini Silver Screen posted on X that the Venky Atluri directorial will not be screened in the theatre. Known to be one of the most popular screens for first-day show celebrations, this announcement came to fans as a surprise. The post read, "With utmost respect and gratitude to #THEONE @Suriya_offl Sir, we confirm that we are unable to screen #ViswanathAndSons @RohiniSilverScr in our long term business interest.
Wishing the film becomes a double blockbuster
And look forward to the Diwali release of #THEONE"
However, on Friday morning, the morning of the release, Nikilesh shared an update that the film will be screened at the theatre with no further issues on the matter. He wrote, "All is well that ends well.
Continuing our streak of never having missed a screening of a @Suriya_offl Sir film or a @Ags_production release in the last 20 years.
#TheONE is here 🔥🥊
Thanks to @archanakalpathi @aishkalpathi , team AGS and a set of mutual well wishers for taking across our request to the concerned parties and helping resolve the matter.
#ViswanathAndSons"
A similar situation arose when Rakesh Gowthaman, proprietor of Vettri Theatres in Chrompet, Chennai, posted on the night of August 13 that the Chrompet theatre will not be screening the film. His post read, "Really sorry to @Suriya_offl sir and all his Anbana fans …
This was never intended, but unfortunately, the negotiations regarding the commercial terms for #VishwanathAndSons did not work out positively.
After much discussion, the final decision is to skip the release at #Vettri, Chennai alone.
#VAS will continue to release at both our Tindivanam & Tiruchengode branches.
Wishing the entire team a massive success and hoping VAS follows the phenomenal success of #Karuppu …"
Around 12:30 AM on August 14, Gowthaman posted the update that the negotiations had been resolved and that the film will be released at the Chrompet theatre. In his post he also credited Rohini Silver Screen's Nikilesh for resolving the matter. He posted, "Enna kadhaiye puriyama , Nalla thittuneenga pa
#VAS releasing in #Vettri tomorrow
Bookings opening in 30 minutes …
All cool bros … Good Night
Lastly , Spl thanks to @NikileshSurya for resolving everything smoothly …"
Vishwanath and Sons, a Tamil family drama, stars Suriya as Sanjay Vishwanath and Mamitha Baiju as Maddy in a story that is slated to be an age-gap romance. Supporting cast include Radhika Sarathkumar, Raveena Tandon, Raghu Babu and Nassar.
The film is directed by Venky Atluri and produced by Suryadevara Naga Vamsi and Sai Soujanya under the Sithara Entertainments and Fortune Four Cinemas banners, with Srikara Studios presenting the film.