Mumbai: The Shiv Sena appears determined to disrupt the release of Shah Rukh Khan’s latest movie ‘My Name Is Khan’ with protests and vandalism at theatres continuing Wednesday. The demonstrations have led to multiplexes stopping advance bookings. Multiplex chains like PVR, Big Cinemas, Adlabs, Fun Cinemas and Cinemax have closed their advance booking windows for the film, as did single screen theatres like Mehul in Mulund and Shreyas in Ghatkopar, their officials said.
“We have shut the advance bookings for the film as of now. It may open around 4 pm today but nothing is certain at present,” Girish Wankhede, deputy general manager (Corporate Communication) of Cinemax, said.
Pramod Madhve, an official from Mehul Theatre, said: “Nothing about the film’s release is fixed yet. We hope to receive updates by tomorrow. But the advance bookings have been shut for now.”
A Shreyas Theatre official said: “Bookings have been closed as of now, we should be in a position to tell you about the release by tomorrow.”The fear of vandalism persists in cinema owners despite the repeated assurances from the state government that adequate security would be provided to them. Clearly, the Shiv Sena and the Maharashtra government are heading for a showdown over the issue.
The Shiv Sena appears hell-bent to not allow the Shah Rukh starrer to have a normal run at the theatres. The Sena has made it clear that they won’t allow the release of “My Name…” unless the Bollywood star retracts his statement favouring inclusion of Pakistani players in IPL-3.
“We will not allow the movie to be released. Shah Rukh should first apologise to Balasaheb (Thackeray) and then only we can talk with him,” Sena leader Manohar Joshi said yesterday.
Incidentally, Shah Rukh Khan along with film’s director Karan Johar and lead actress Kajol left for UAE late last night for the premiere of the movie there.
Over 1000 Shiv Sainiks detained
In a crackdown against Shiv Sena, over 1000 of its activists have been detained ahead of the release of the movie this Friday. The fear of vandalism persists in cinema owners despite the repeated assurances from the state government that adequate security would be provided to them. Clearly, the Shiv Sena and the Maharashtra government are heading for a showdown over the issue.
The Shiv Sena appears hell-bent to not allow the Shah Rukh starrer to have a normal run at the theatres. The Sena has made it clear that they won’t allow the release of “My Name…” unless the Bollywood star retracts his statement favouring inclusion of Pakistani players in IPL-3.
“We will not allow the movie to be released. Shah Rukh should first apologise to Balasaheb (Thackeray) and then only we can talk with him,” Sena leader Manohar Joshi said yesterday.
Incidentally, Shah Rukh Khan along with film’s director Karan Johar and lead actress Kajol left for UAE late last night for the premiere of the movie there.
Over 1000 Shiv Sainiks detained
In a crackdown against Shiv Sena, over 1000 of its activists have been detained ahead of the release of the movie this Friday.
