Amidst high alert sounded by the state government, majority of the theatres chose not to screen Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s film ‘Padmaavat’ in Lucknow on Thursday.
However a few theatres in multiplexes went ahead with screening the film that has generated quite some dust in recent weeks.
There were some protests in cities across the state but shows were running smoothly. However, due to fear of facing protest, majority of the shows did not have a Rs houseful’ as people turned up to witness the protest more than the film.
ADG (Law and Order) Anand Kumar said in Lucknow on Thursday that there was no untoward incident reported from anywhere in the state though some sporadic violence was witnessed on Wednesday. “Unprecedented security has been ensured at all cinema theatres and malls where the film is being screened,” he said.
In Lucknow, some malls, including Wave, decided not to screen the film due to threat perception. In PM’ss Parliamentary constituency - Varanasi, security personnel were deployed outside at all cine theatres and no protest was reported and the film was released in five theatres.
In Agra, the Dal activities protested outside SRK Mall but the cinema show continued under tight security arrangements.
In Muzaffarnagar and Meerut too, the film was screened but there were very few viewers who came to watch the film. Fearing violence and damage, cine theatres and multiplexes in Chief Minister’s hometown Gorakhpur were unwilling to screen the film.
For instance, SRS Cinemas was scheduled to screen the movie but the manager decided against it after protests by Hindu outfits. It Sitapur, SCM multiplex owner Sanjay Agarwal was beaten up by a group of activists opposing the screening on Thursday. The protesters also damaged his BMW car and abused him for screening the movie.
On Wednesday, UP Police had issued high alert and made elaborate security arrangements ahead of the release of ‘Padmaavat’ following Supreme Court’s decision.
The protesting Karni Sena has appealed to cine theatre owners not to screen the film. Several theatre owners were adopting a guarded stance towards screening the film in view of protests by Karni Sena.
Members of a fringe group - Kanpur Kshatriya Mahasabha on Wednesday, announced cash reward to anyone severing actor Deepika Padukone’s nose. The Deepika Padukone-Shahid Kapoor-Ranveer Singh starrer film has been in the eye of a storm over allegations that it distorted history and defamed queen Padmavati.