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Sena activists stall Mumbai screening of Ek Chhotisi...
Yet, 96 theatres in India are slated to screen the controversial film
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A correspondent
Manisha Koirala's attempt to get a stay on the release of Shashilal Nair's Ek Chhotisi Love Story has received mixed response.
The actress had obtained, on Thursday, a stay order in Mumbai for the film's release. Koirala, who did not charge any remuneration for the film, felt cheated when Nair refused to delete a love-making scene performed by a body double, although the actress was promised he would do so if she found it objectionable.
The Mumbai High Court was to review the film and the case was scheduled for an October 5 hearing.
The film was to release Friday in at least 96 theatres all over the country. However, workers of the fundamentalist party Shiv Sena are said to have carried out an agitation outside Mumbai's Gemini theatre to stall the screening of the film. The activists broke into the theatre, broke some glass panes and chairs. One spectator is said to be injured.
All four shows at the theatre are now cancelled.
Manoj Desai, proprietor of the G-7 multiplex which houses Gemini, said, "Initially, I thought this [the court order and controversy] was all a publicity stunt to boost the film. Now I realise it is not. Did she [Koirala] not know about all this earlier? Why did she wait till the last minute to get a stay on the film?"
Desai confirms he had sought the permission of Shiv Sena supremo Bal Thackeray's son and righthand man Uddhav Thackeray to screen one show of the film. Nevertheless, Sena activists disrupted the screening of the film causing extensive damage to the theatre property.
Screenings at Mumbai's Arora theatre and Fame Adlabs multiplex have also been stalled.
Meanwhile, Koirala, clad in a black outfit with a crimson teeka on her forehead, met Thackeray at the latter's Bandra (a Mumbai suburb) residence Matoshree, Friday.
Speaking to reporters after the hour-long meeting, Koirala said she met the Sena chief to explain 'her problems' and to thank him for his support in her bitter fight against the injustice meted out to her. Admitting that her lawyer Satish Maneshinde had taken up the case at the directive of the Sena chief, she said her stand 'had been well represented'.
Describing her association with Thackeray as a long one dating back to the making of the film Agnisakhshi, Koirala admitted she had been extremely 'distressed' over the issue for the last few weeks and had come to seek the Sena chief's blessing and advice. "He asked me to fight injustice through the legal route," the actress said.
The actress allegedly made sure the media did not get to watch the film at a special preview that was to take place at Mumbai's Rajkamal Studios Thursday night. According to one of the employees at the studio, "Two people came here and showed us a letter
stating there is an injuction on the film. The studio did not want to take the risk of screening the film."
Earlier, Koirala also met the National Women's Commission. NCW chairperson Purnima Advani is considering fighting the case against exploitation of women under the Obscenity Act.
Although not an all-India release, 97 prints of the film have already been delivered to the exhibitors. Most exhibitors are still unaware of the stay order on the film.
Meanwhile, it is learnt that the film opened to packed houses in Delhi at the PVR chain of theatres, Regal and Sapna. Golcha, one of the six cinema halls that were to screen the film, backed out following the court order fearing trouble. An official of the PVR chain said the film is expected to do very well in the first three days, and confirmed the film was sold out in PVR's Vikaspuri and Naraina outlets.
The controversy and the negative publicity surrounding the film is said to be the major draw for the crowds. PVR plans to screen the film till they get a summons from the court stating otherwise.
With inputs from PTI