By Jilawatan

The South Indian Artistes Association (SIAA), which had been threatening action against actor Asin for defying a ban and visiting war-ravaged Sri Lanka, has bought more time to arrive at a decision.

At the 58th annual general mody meeting on Sunday at SIAA premises, president R Sarath Kumar said a decision on Asin’s action would be taken by the Joint Consultative Committee at a meeting soon. Asin went to Colombo for the shooting of Ready,’ co-starring Salman Khan. On July 11, she visited Jaffna, the first actor to do so in 30 years, accompanied by the wife of Sri Lankan president Mahinda Rajapaksa. Some SIAA members demanded that a red card be issued against her, and Sunday’s AGM was expected to come up with a road map on the issue of actors visiting Lanka. Actor Karunas is planning a pilgrimage to a temple in Sri Lanka, a proposal condemned by actors like Satyaraj.

While the issue of stars crossing the Palk Straits continues to simmer, Sarath Kumar on Sunday hoped a mutually acceptable solution would be worked out by the JCC, which comprises the Film Employees Federation of India, SIAA, Tamil Film Producers Council, South Indian Chamber of Commerce (SIFCC) and directors association among others.

“We all need to be on the same page,” he said. A resolution, asking actors to confer with SIAA before planning trips to the island nation, had been passed in the interim.

The SIAA has set August 15 as the deadline for actors to enrol with the SIAA, failing which they will not be permitted to act in Tamil films.

The AGM also witnessed support for actor Vijay, from whom the theatre owners association has been demanding a refund for losses suffered due a string of flops of his films, including the latest Sura’. “Actors cannot be held responsible for box office performance,” said the resolution.