Mumbai: Over a thousand Shiv Sena activists have been arrested in Mumbai for vandalising cinema halls and multiplexes that will screen actor Shah Rukh Khan’s new movie My Name Is Khan, said officials on Wednesday.
Till Wednesday morning, 1,023 Sena workers had been arrested for rioting, damaging property, unlawful assembly and trespass. They had also attacked Broadway cinema at Kandivalli East in the city.
Tight security has been provided to 63 theatres across the city where the movie is scheduled to be released on February 12, said police officials.
Guidelines have also been issued to all police stations by the city police chief regarding security arrangements. Cinemas are though playing safe and have stopped advanced bookings for their movies at their counters. Online bookings are on, however.
Multiplex chains like PVR and Cinemax withdrew their advance bookings 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 p.m. today (Wednesday) but nothing is certain at present," Girish Wankhede, deputy general manager (Corporate Communication) of Cinemax, told IANS.
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."
The Sena has renewed its threat not to allow the film to be screened unless Khan retracts his statement that players should have been included in the Indian Premier League tournament.
"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 on Tuesday.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Ashok Chavan though promises that the Sena will not be allowed to break the law and he would not “tolerate” if party workers try to block the film’s screening.
“I appeal to the people of Maharashtra to watch the film. People should not to be scared away by any such threats,” he told CNN-IBN on Tuesday.
I appeal to the people of Maharashtra to watch the film. People should not to be scared away by any such threats. In fact, I'm also going to watch the film.
To further strengthen security, personnel from State Reserve Police Force and Home Guards will be deployed at the 63 theatres that will screen the film in Mumbai.
(With inputs from IANS and PTI)
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