Day 2: MNIK screening peaceful,police cover on theatres continues

On Saturday,Khan’s wife Gauri,a co-producer of the movie,visited INOX at Nariman Point with daughter Suhana and said she was overwhelmed by the response. “What is better than saying Jai Maharashtra? We love Mumbai and Shah Rukh is really excited. He will come to cinemas on Sunday to meet fans,” she said.

She also visited Metro Cinema in south Mumbai and interacted with the audience. Gauri also rubbished speculation that the big draw for the film was due to the controversy on the eve of its release.

On Friday,the city had witnessed demonstrations and some incidents of stone pelting. Although no such scenes were repeated on Saturday,police continued to be posted at all theatres showing MNIK.

Additional Commissioner of Police (North Region) Ramrao Pawar said,“So far,no untoward incident has taken place in my region but we are not taking any chances and have deployed police at multiplexes.”

Swati Rohatgi,a media executive who had gone to Fun Republic on Saturday to see the movie,said,“The day was pretty uneventful. But police were still posted around the place.”

Deputy Commissioner of Police (Zone 9) KMM Prasanna,who had been at Fun Republic with his force on Friday,said,“There were no protests on Saturday. However,we deployed the same number of police personnel at Fun Republic as we had on Friday.”

When asked how long the police intend giving protection,Prasanna said,“We shall watch the situation for 2-3 days and then decide.”

Sailee Turme,a travel agency employee said,“My fiancé and I were supposed to watch the movie on Friday night but got to know that the shows might be cancelled. So we went on Saturday to Inox at Milan Mall in Santacruz. The screening was pretty peaceful. We could see policemen on the premises.”

Senior Vice President,Cinemax,Devang Sampat,said,“Bookings are open across the city and there have been no incidents so far. Police are still providing protection and we have our own security personnel to screen moviegoers.”

According to information provided by the police,the movie was shown in 49 theatres in the city on Saturday.

Meanwhile,the Shiv Sena has not formally called off its agitation that was withering out in cities and towns in the state. “We have nothing more to say than what Balasaheb (Thackeray) has stated,” Sena MP and executive editor of the party’s mouthpiece Saamna,Sanjay Raut,said. “You can draw your own conclusions.”

The Sena slammed Chief Minister Ashok Chavan for protecting SRK. “Is Chavan the Chief Minister of Maharashtra or Shah Rukh Khan’s bodyguard?” Saamna’s Saturday editorial said. “If it is so,he should wear the uniform of a security guard,stand at the entrance of Khan’s bungalow.” The Sena also criticised Chavan for using ‘the entire police force’ to provide security at cinema theatres.