(This article is authored by Alar)

The much-awaited movie ‘Leo’ starring Vijay and directed by Lokesh Kanagaraj is facing a legal hurdle in its release. The production company Seven Screen has approached the Madras High Court seeking permission to screen the movie at 4 pm and 7 pm instead of the usual 9 pm slot.

The petitioner’s lawyer, Srinath Sridevan, argued that the State government’s order to allow only four shows a day for Leo from 9 a.m. to 1:30 a.m. was unreasonable. He said that the government had agreed to grant five shows a day for the movie from October 19 to 24, but had limited the timings to the same slot.

He pointed out that the movie, which had a duration of 2 hours and 43 minutes, also had a compulsory 20-minute intermission and a 30-minute gap between two shows for sanitizing the halls. He calculated that it would take 18 hours and 45 minutes to complete five shows, including the time for the audience to enter and exit the halls.

Hence, he urged the court to direct the government to allow the five shows to start from 7 a.m. onwards from October 19 to 24, instead of making them wait till 9 a.m. The judge agreed to this request and adjourned the hearing till tomorrow, leaving the fate of ‘Leo’ hanging in balance.

Will Vijay’s fans get to see their hero on the big screen at their preferred time? Or will they have to wait till late at night or compromise with fewer shows? The answer lies in the court’s verdict, which is expected to be delivered soon.

Seven Screen Studios Production files a petition before the Madras High Court requesting to allow actor Vijay's upcoming movie 'Leo' to be screened at 4 am show on the first day of the film's release October 19 in Tamil Nadu and at 7am show during October 19-October 24. Court to…

— ANI (@ANI) October 16, 2023