According to Datar, their decision had nothing to do with the MNS withdrawing from the scene. "We had always maintained that we had taken the decision out of respect for the army men who lost their lives in the URI attacks."
The single screen exhibitors of COEAI (Cinematograph Owners And Exhibitors Association of India) have decided to uphold their decision not to screen all films starring Pak artistes in the forthcoming months, starting with Ae Dil Hai Mushki Raees and Dear Zindagi. The final decision was taken in an executive meeting held on Monday afternoon, after which it was conveyed to members, "The directive to our members is for all films starring Pak artistes hereafter till the situation is restored to normalcy. In fact our members did not even release Ek Tera Saath which was released last week, since it had Pakistani singer, Rahat Fateh Ali Khan rendering a number," revealed Sharad Doshi, the secretary of the COEAI.
According to Doshi and President, Nitin Datar, a majority of single screens have already booked Shivaay in all the four shows, with exhibitors in Maharashtra, Gujarat and Karnataka, also opting for regional films. "However they have all opened the advance booking for Shivaay, which has met with a very encouraging response," Datar revealed.
There was apprehension among certain exhibitors that Ajay Devgn and Jayantilal Gada of PEN, which had the distribution rights of Shivaay, would revise their terms and probably expect better terms from single screen exhibitors in the wake of the current development. However Doshi said that the exhibitors did not have to face any such problems, "They have confirmed to their earlier understanding and not asked for one penny more from the exhibitors. Apart from that, Mr Devgan has also agreed to contribute his share from the first show to the fund all over, the proceeds of which will go to the widows of army men,"
According to Datar, their decision had nothing to do with the MNS withdrawing from the scene. "We had always maintained that we had taken the decision out of respect for the army men who lost their lives in the URI attacks."
However he added that it did not guarantee other unsocial elements jumping into the fray, "The whole issue has been already politicized and as of now, it is the Congress government which has called for protests in certain areas of the central suburbs, against the release of the film. Anti-social elements do not hesitate to take the opportunity and go on a rampage," he said.
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