Tamil Nadu film industry standoff ends

Chennai, May 13 (IANS) A three-day standoff in the Tamil Nadu film industry between directors and their assistants came to an end Tuesday following political and police intervention, industry insiders said.

The blame game between directors and their assistants was sorted out in an atmosphere of camaraderie, a senior police official told IANS.

"The matter was sorted out amicably between the warring units following the formation of a body of assistant directors under the nomenclature of 'Nalaya Iyakkunar Ani' (organisation of future directors). The friction in the film industry has all but disappeared," S. Lakshmi, deputy commissioner of police who prevented the outbreak of violence during Sunday's cancelled elections, said.

To the relief of different factions, candidates of various groups contesting for posts of office-bearers in the directors' association expressed a wish to withdraw their nominations in the presence of Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi during a meeting Wednesday, sources said.