Kerela embraces 'The Da Vinci Code' with house-full signs

Thiruvananthapuram, June 2 (IANS) The controversial film "The Da Vinci Code" that opened in Kerala theatres Friday drew large audiences even as the Kerala Catholic Bishops' Council (KCBC) urged its faithful to register their protest against the movie.

"Yesterday there was a premiere of the film and the two shows today have been full houses. And for the coming days till Sunday all balcony seats are reserved. With the controversy brewing, we feel the crowds should come in," said the manager of a movie house where the film is being screened.

Last week, KCBC president Cyril Mar Baselios Catholicos asked its faithful to openly express their protest against the novel and the film through the mass media and other means, but not to resort to violent methods.

He said both the film and the novel are malicious that insulted the Christian faith and were made to mint money.

The film has been released in 10 cinema halls across the state and what is significant is that it has not been released in central Kerala where a majority of the state's Christians live.

Instead it has been released at two centres in the Muslim-dominated Malappuram district at Tirur and Perinthalmanna.

Christians constitute 23 percent of Kerela's population.

Last week, the Kerala High Court declined to prohibit the screening of "The Da Vinci Code" in the state after a petition was rejected seeking a ban on the film.

George Onakoor, a veteran Malayalam professor, said he is not going to compare the Bible with the film.

"I see it as a good piece of work and since I don't want to compare it with the Bible, it is a non-issue," said Onakoor after seeing the premiere of the film.