RAAVAN will not be screened at IIFA

Mani Ratnam film `Raavan`, will not be screened at the 11th India International Film Academy Award.

``Raavan`` is a loose adaptation of the Hindu epic ``Ramayana``, in which Sita, the wife of Lord Rama, was abducted by the Lanka King, Ravana. Reportedly, the film will have a new twist on the ``Ramayana``, as the film does not follow the plot of the epic.

Academy Award-winner A R Rahman has composed the score of the film, which is slated to release on Friday (June 18). The IIFA 2010 is being viewed in Sri Lanka as a ``coming out`` platform for a nation that is emerging from 30 years of civil conflict.

However, there are speculations that the decision came after IIFA is being looked upon as controversial function by some south Indian filmmakers, as it is being held in Sri Lanka, where Sri Lankan Tamils were reportedly massacred last year.

The Tamil film fraternity has also rejected the idea of an Indian film event in Sri Lanka. Even popular Tamil actors Rajnikanth, Kamal Hassan, Vijay, Ajith and Surya have also reportedly declined to take part in the IIFA.

Recently, the Tamil community group in Mumbai staged a protest at the residence of Bollywood actor Amitabh Bachchan, who is a brand ambassador for IIFA.

Bachchan is due to attend the awards ceremony in Colombo from June 3-5.

IIFA is an organization dedicated to promoting Indian Cinema abroad, focusing on places with concentrations of Indian Diaspora, and the awards function last year was held in Macau in China.