Salman film release: Yashraj truce follows MNS threat

MUMBAI: Slightly more than a year after it forced makers of Ae Dil Hai Muskhil to kowtow to its demands, the MNS was at it again on Wednesday when it threatened to stop the screening of Yashraj Films's Salman Khan-starrer Tiger Zinda Hai.

The MNS threat came after Yashraj films apparently wrote to theatre and multiplex owners in the state informing them that they should screen the Salman starrer for all their shows in the day.

This meant that Marathi films Deva and Ek Atrangi, which are releasing on the same date, would not get any theatres or multiplexes to screen.

Actor Ankush Chaudhari, who stars in Deva, had sought the help of the MNS and on Wednesday, the party promptly threatened Yashraj Films. "If Yashraj Films arm twists multiplex and theatre owners from showing Marathi movies then we would not just stop their movies from being screened but also stop their filmshoots that happen in Mumbai," said Amey Khopkar, who heads the MNS film union.

Last time, MNS had opposed the release of 'Ae Dil Hai Muskhil' because it had Pakistani actor Fawad Khan.

This time, the MNS move has broad support of the Marathi film Industry. "The two film industries (Marathi and Hindi) can survive together. Why do Hindi film producers arm twist theatre owners in giving all screens for their movies?

"If your movie is good, it will run for the second week also. What a few Hindi filmmakers are doing is to kill the Marathi film industry," said filmmaker Santosh Manjrekar.

With the Sena too getting in to the act saying Marathi movies should be allowed to be screened, Yashraj Films got in touch with the MNS saying that they would allocate screens for the Marathi movie 'Deva'. Khopkar claimed that they would not protest since Yashraj Films has agreed to a compromise.