This kind of thing happens only in India. The Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI), which you probably never heard of before, is up in arms against the Rajnikanth-Akshay Kumar film 2.0 for “allegedly promoting anti-scientific attitudes towards mobile phones and cellular networks”.

According to COAI the 3D sci-fi thriller directed by Shankar, which releases worldwide tomorrow, has falsely depicted mobile phones and towers as being harmful to the environment and all living creatures including human beings,  birds and animals.
The telecommunication association has addressed its complaint to the I&B Ministry and the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) which passed 2.0 with a UA certificate earlier this month. It wants the exhibition of the film suspended and the censor certificate revoked. So, it appears Chitti will be fighting the telecos at the box office first!

[caption id="attachment_170047" align="aligncenter" width="647"] 2.0 film posters[/caption]

Recommended Read: Enjoy 2.0 the way you would Avengers or Transformers- Akshay Kumar

At the time, it is not known whether the I&B Ministry and CBFC will take the COAI complaint into cognisance and heed its petition. Bollywood sources ask why COAI raised its head just when the Rs. 510 crore film (the biggest to be made in India) in 14 languages was ready for release?

That apart, here’s the strange thing. PeepingMoon.com has learned that the maker of 2.0, Chennai’s Lyca Productions, is itself a subgroup of the UK-based mobile virtual network operator Lycamobile that is available in 23 countries. It specialises in providing low-cost calls to international destinations and in 2014 was one of the first companies to launch a 4G mobile service in UK.

[caption id="attachment_168741" align="aligncenter" width="647"] Stills of Akshay Kumar and Rajnikanth from their film 2.0[/caption]

Lycamobile owner, the British Sri Lankan Tamil entrepreneur and filmmaker Allirajah Subaskaran, began Lyca Productions in 2014 with the film Kaththi that was directed by A. R. Murgadoss and had Tamil superstar Vijay in a double role. Since then, Allirajah and Lyca have made nine Tamil and Telugu films including Shankar’s Rajni-Akshay starrer 2.0 that releases tomorrow.

Rajnikanth fans ask why would Lyca Productions make 2.0 if it was going to hit its own business, as COAI alleges, by spreading misinformation and creating unfounded fear and mass paranoia about the harmful effects of electromagnetic field emissions? In 2.0 Akshay plays a crazed scientist who blames mobile phones for the death of birds. But COAI argues there is no evidence of any such impact.