Cineplex Reacted To Drive-By Shootings At Toronto Theatres & It's Tied To This Movie
There was more than one incident.
Cineplex Cinemas sign.
Cineplex Cinemas has decided to pull a South Indian movie from theatres after multiple drive-by shooting incidents took place in the Greater Toronto Area.
York Regional Police said that the incidents were deemed "targetted," and as a result, a South Indian film, Malaikottai Vaaliban, was removed from Cineplex theatres nationwide.
Why you should care: While the movie seems like it has been positively reviewed online, the Malayalam-language film has also triggered a wave of backlash among certain groups. That appears to include diaspora communities living in Ontario.
What they're saying: A Cineplex spokesperson told Narcity: "Due to circumstances beyond our control, we are no longer playing Malaikottai Vaaliban at Cineplex theatres."
York Regional Police said in a press release that the incidents occurred on January 24. In one case, they were called to a Richmond Hill theatre at Highway 7 and East Beaver Creek.
The call happened "after an employee arrived for work and found the windows had been shot at," YRP shared.
On the same day, a similar incident occurred in Vaughan and the "suspects are being linked to both occurrences."
"Investigators believe the incidents were targeted due to their similarities; all the cinemas were closed and occurred in the early morning hours," YRP added.
The Times of India released quite a positive review of the film, praising the "intricate aspects of filmmaking that contribute to the creation of a captivating narrative."
However, a Malayala Manorama online news platform shared that "the film has garnered mixed comments from audiences, particularly within the Malayali community, with many reviews expressing discontent."
But putting the reviews aside, the reasons for the drive-by shooting in the GTA have yet to be determined and police are asking for anyone with information to come forward.
What comes next: Cineplex told Narcity they "are working closely with local authorities, who are leading this investigation, and can't share more details at this time."
For now, the movie will no longer be playing at the theatres.