India, June 18 -- The Supreme Court on June 17 upheld the rights of filmmakers and theatre owners to release movies without threats of arson and violence while making it clear that the Karnataka government must protect actor-producer Kamal Haasan's right to screen Thug Life in the state. Expressing concerns over the "extra-judicial ban" on the screening of the Mani Ratnam directorial, a bench comprising Justice Ujjal Bhuyan and Justice Manmohan said the rule of law demands that any film that has a Central Board of Film Certification certificate must be released and the state has to ensure its screening. The bench was hearing a PIL filed by Bengaluru resident M Mahesh Reddy, seeking directions to allow the screening of Thug Life, which was not released in Karnataka after certain groups issued threats against its exhibition following Haasan's "Kannada was born out of Tamil" remarks. The Supreme Court gave a one-day time to the Karnataka government to apprise it about the release of the movie in the state.HTC...