Shiv Sena angry with SRK - Post All Articles HERE - Page 75

"What is the better way than saying 'Jai Maharashtra'. We love Mumbai and Shah Rukh is really excited and will be coming
to the cinemas tomorrow to meet his fans" she told reporters here.

Gauri also said that Shah Rukh who is in Berlin for the premiere of the film, was excited that My Name Is Khan released smoothly.

She also visited another theatre Metro cinema in South Mumbai and interacted with the audience.

Gauri was quick to put down speculation that the good response received by the film was due to the controversy generated on the eve of its release.

"People have liked the movie not because of the controversy. Karan (Johar) and his team worked hard. The film was in the making for three years. Their efforts have paid off," she added.

Mumbai Joint CP (law and order) Himanshu Roy said that till last night, 40 theatres in the city had begun screening the film.

The release of the film was opposed by Shiv Sena following Shah Rukh's comments favouring the inclusion of Pakistani players in IPL 3.

Mahesh Bhatt, Shakti Kapoor and Shah Rukh Khan's wife Gauri Khan came to watch My Name is Khan on Friday, as it hit theatres.

"It is support to the values on which this country was created, - the values of democracy, the values of cultural pluralism and the values that we will respect. However, we may disagree with him but to grant him that space and not to muzzle him up through violent brutal means," Bhatt said.

"Like people go to their offices in the morning, we also work hard to make our films and in this there should be no politics and I don't belong to any political party I'm here to only support the film industry," Kapoor said.

Agitated over Shah Rukh Khan's remarks that he would wish to see Pakistani players participate in the IPL season 3, Shiv Sena activists had torn down film's posters and vandalized theatres in the run-up to the film's release.

Police took hundreds of Sena local leaders under preventive detention as they threatened to disrupt the film's screening.

Sena leadership has opposed Pakistani players participation owing to anger over the November 2008 terror attacks, suspected to have been carried out by ten Pakistani gunmen.

Fox Star Studios has bought the distribution rights for My Name Is Khan, in what is said to be the biggest distribution deal in Bollywood.

Trade analysts say there are at least 1.2 billion rupees riding on the film and if the western Mumbai-Maharashtra circuit is affected, it would affect almost 25 percent of the film's cinema revenues.

In the film, Shah Rukh Khan plays a man with Asperger's Syndrome who is a victim of the anti-Muslim bias in the US in the aftermath of the September 11, 2001 attacks.

Sources say that the Hindu right wing party has conceded defeat at the hands of Mumbaikars who have shown no fear and ventured into the theatres despite a hovering cloud of violence and vandalism by Sena supporters.

Although the film has released practically everywhere by now, theatre owners are a wee bit worried, especially about night shows.

"We are keeping a close watch on night shows and hoping there's no violence. There is a risk of course, but we are satisfied with the protection the state government has provided us. We have opened the film at all our properties," said Shirish Handa, CEO of Fun Cinemas.

The Sena, though, has managed to create a dent in the fortunes of the movie, as trade experts say that the movie stands to lose around Rs 3 crore in Mumbai and the rest of Maharashtra. At the domestic market, the film garnered approximately Rs 8 crore on the first day but analysts say that it would have taken home Rs 11 crore if the movie had got a wider release.

"The opening's huge. However, if the film had got a bigger release, it would have collected a lot more since the anticipation for MNIK was great," said trade analyst Taran Adarsh.

Bollywood superstar's persuasive skills were put to test during the 45-minute telephonic conversation he had with the exhibitors before they finally gave a thumbs up for the opening.

As anxious multiplex owners went into a huddle the night before the release to take a final call, Khan came on line from Berlin, where he was for the movie's premiere, to address their security concerns. The phone was kept on speaker.

"Go ahead with the screening, I will take care of your losses," Khan said reassuringly, according to one of the exhibitors who was present. The superstar also argued with them to trust the government and chief minister Ashok Chavan who had promised adequate protection for smooth opening of the movie.

"We were not concerned about the losses. Our only concern was the safety and security of audiences and staff," COO of Fun Cinemas Vishal Kapoor told PTI. "Keeping in mind those concerns after our talk with SRK we decided to go for a limited release," he said.

Though the film was initially released only in 13 theatres after the morning shows were cancelled, the number swelled up to around 40 by night owing to an overwhelming response from the public.

"I can very honestly say that at a personal level I have very good relations with everyone and whenever there is an ideological question we will discuss it and figure it out.

"Inshallah, even in this case in My Name Is Khan I think whatever issues are with my statement, I am sure like my film says we can sit down and work it out. It need not get into a state where we can't have a discussion. So I will do it," Khan told reporters here.

The actor has been defiant, refusing to cow down to Shiv Sena's demand for an apology on his comments supporting the inclusion of Pakistani cricketers in IPL.

The multiplexes and single-screen cinemas cancelled morning shows of the movie in Mumbai but went ahead with the remaining day's schedule after getting an overwhelming response from Mumbaikars.

"So much has been said, so much has been spoken and with all due respect to everybody around the world including my coutnry and my city Mumbai, I just like to say that right now all I want to do is to walk the red carpet, have some champagne, enjoy the film and be happy and inshallah everything will be fine at the end of it," the 44-year-old superstar said.

"There always be ideologies which differ, in cinema, and in theatre, in real life and in attitude and we all have to accept it and live with it, peacefully live with it," he added.

The actor is elated with the response of fans to his movie in Berlin. The film premiered in Berlin last night with a red carpet at the Berlinale Palast theatre on Potsdamer Platz.

"I have been to so many film festivals but I have never seen so many people loving me without knowing my language. It is wonderful. I feel very humble and loved," Khan said.