Theatre owner defies GMOA decision

Tuesday, June 06, 2006
Jamnagar (UNI): A theatre in the city, the first one in Gujarat, has decided to screen the Aamir Khan-starrer Fanaa, a day after the Supreme Court asked the Gujarat government to provide police protection to cinemas willing to show the movie, on which Multiplex Owners' Association had imposed a ban. ''The film will be shown this afternoon. Almost 50 per cent of the tickets have been sold out. It could have been more but we had not carried out any publicity campaign. Police protection has been sought. It will be their responsibility to prevent any untoward incident,'' Amber Cinemas owner Vimal Maadam told UNI over phone.

He said, ''It is my business to run my cinema house. I have got the print of Fanaa and will show it. I have nothing to do with what the Association says or what anybody (Aamir Khan) has views about an issue.'' About the security measures, Deputy Superintendent of Police R M Pandey said two police inspectors and four sub-inspectors, apart from 30 constables will be deployed at the theatre as part of the bandobast. ''We are taking all precautionary measures to ward off any security problem,'' he said.

However, Multiplex Owners' Association president Manubhai Patel said the multiplex owners are still firm on their stand and will not screen the movie. The Single Theatre Owners' Association is at present holding a meeting to assess the fallout of Ambar cinema decision. All theatre owners in the State had earlier decided not to release Fanaa, after Aamir had made remarks in support of Narmada Bachao Andolan and rehabilitation of dam oustees.

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