Even as a few leading Tamil actors stayed away from the protest rally, a large number of artistes and directors of the Tamil film industry staged a protest at Rameswaram on Sunday against the killing of innocent Tamils in Sri Lanka. Led by veteran director Bharathiraaja and Tamil Film Producer Council president, Rama Narayanan, they took out a rally.
Later, they held a meeting at the Kilakadu ground in which most of the speakers urged the Central government to use its good offices to persuade Sri Lanka to stop the war immediately and put an end to the suffering of Tamils, majority of whom are of Indian origin.
Director K S Ravi Kumar said the United Nations should intervene in the Sri Lankan affairs to save Tamils, who had become refugees in their own country.
Among actors, directors and producers who spoke were Vadivelu, Vijaya T Rajender, Parthiban, Pandiarajan, Mansoor Ali Khan, Livingston, Cheran, Karunas, Kovai Thambi, Kalaipuli Dhanu, and K T Kunjumon.