At a high time when the ardent Tamil cinema fans and theatres are counting the hours for the clash of icons Vijay and Ajith on Wednesday, January 11, the Tamil Nadu government has issued a new order of banning the early morning shows of Vijay starred 'Varisu' and Ajith starred 'Thunivu' for four consecutive days - January 13 to 16. 

The order has come as a shock to the fans and the theatres as the exhibitors have already planned to screen early morning shows to have a good fill in the coffers and to manage the influx of the fans. The order has come when the fans are unfolding hardcore celebrations across the state as the movies of both the icons are releasing on the same day after several years. 

Days ahead of the Pongal festival, the government has banned the early morning shows of Varisu and Thunivu from January 13 to 16. In a circular to all the District Collectors on Monday - January 9, Tamil Nadu Joint Commissioner for Cinema and Irrigation S Senthamarai has directed the Collectors to not give permission to theatres to screen Thunivu and Varisu at 4 am and 5 am from January 13 to 16. 

However, the order didn't carry any specific reason for the ban. The circular has also directed the Collectors not to allow the people to pour milk on the banners and cutouts of the actors. In the order, the government has also banned the fans in erecting high banners and cutouts of the actors outside the theatres. The government further asked the people to report to the police if the theatres are selling tickets higher than the stipulated price or if the theatres are collecting parking charges more than what have been fixed by the government. 

The circular further said that the details of a police officer must be printed on the ticket to whom people can file a complaint in case of violations. As the theatres have already sold tickets for the early morning shows for the upcoming weekend that includes the banned days, they are now pushed to refund the money to the fans, a setback that they endured before the movie release.