Cinegoers in the city have been in a dilemma whether to step out to watch Padmaavat when it is released on 24 January in select theatres and widely on 25 January.
The fear was hightened as the violent protests against the film reached the outskirts of Mumbai last night when a group of around 25 people burnt tyres on the Vashi creek bridge.
Manoj Desai, owner of the G7 multiplex in Bandra and Maratha Mandir in Mumbai Central, informed Cinestaan.com that the advance bookings do not look promising. “It should have been full by now, but it’s not. It’s not that people are not fearful. Families are afraid (of booking),” he said.
He also added that in case hooligans do attack his theatres, he would be forced to take a harsh decision. “If damage takes place (due to vandalism), we will stop the film from screening. Jo sabka hoga woh humara hoga (whatever happens with others will happen with us),” he said.
Desai informed that they haven’t been promised adequate police protection as of now. And he hasn’t demanded the same as that would be be an additional cost. “If there is police protection, they (audience) won’t feel fearful. We won’t pay from our pockets for security. If we request protection, they will ask us to deposit money,” he said.
He firmly believes that the authorities should show serious concern. “Our police commissioner and chief minister (Devendra Fadnavis) should understand. If they don’t understand, we would get to understand on our own,” he signed off.
In 2010, Karan Johar’s My Name Is Khan was embroiled in a massive controversy after Shiv Sena resorted to violence to protest against the film’s actor Shah Rukh Khan. The actor’s desire to hire Pakistani players in his IPL team had irked the party. Just like in the case of Padmaavat, protests against My Name Is Khan were on till the film neared release.
The then chief minister of Maharashtra Ashok Chavan made sure that over 1,500 Shiv Sena members were detained. This helped in the smooth screening of the film.