Amaran: Makers remove Sai Pallavi's phone number scene after legal complaint

A scene from Sai Pallavi and Sivakarthikeyan’s movie Amaran that stirred controversy has been removed from the film. The move came after the makers received a legal notice demanding compensation of Rs 1.1 crore. Chennai student, Vaageesan sued Amaran makers over incessant calls from Sai Pallavi’s fans.

In the scene, Sai Pallavi wrote her phone number on a piece of paper and tossed it at the hero. The mobile phone number actually belongs to Vaageesan in real life. Assuming it to be Sai’s number, several fans made calls to his number. He was initially unaware of the reason and muted his phone. But the number of calls increased manifold, after which Vaageesan sought a resolution on social media as he tagged the film’s director, Rajkumar Periyasamy, and lead actor Sivakarthikeyan, flagging the issue. 

He later sent a legal notice for the “untold hardships and mental agony” caused by the scene, after his requests went unanswered. He demanded his phone number be removed from the movie immediately. “I do not want to change my phone number because of this issue because it is linked to my Aadhaar, bank cards and other academic platforms,” he had stated. In the latest development, the makers have removed the said scene. The film is now streaming on the digital platform excluding the controversial scene. 

Talking about Amaran, the film minted over Rs 300 crore in the first five weeks of its theatrical run upon release in October. Sivakarthikeyan plays the real-life hero, the late Major Mukund Varadarajan, while Sai Pallavi plays his wife Indu Rebecca Varghese in the film. The gripping storyline appealed to both viewers and critics alike. Both the actors also garnered huge appreciation for their powerful performances. The film was released on streaming giant Netflix on December 5, 2024.