'Ae Dil Hai Mushkil' release in jeopardy

Karan Johar and Fawad Khan

In fresh trouble for Karan Johar's Ae Dil Hai Mushkil, the Cinema Owners and Exhibitors Association of India (COEAI) has decided to suspend the screening of the Diwali release as well as all other upcoming films featuring Pakistani faces. This follows the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS)'s demand for ban on artistes from across the border in the wake of the Uri attacks.

The decision effectively means Ae Dil... will not be shown in nearly 400 single screen theatres across Maharashtra, Gujarat, parts of Karnataka and Goa. That's about 25 per cent of revenue loss for the film, trade pundit Amod Mehra estimates.

What's more, with such hurdles, the multi-starrer's box office competition - Ajay Devgn's Shivaay - stands to benefit in terms of screens as well as business. "Shivaay is more of a single screen film, and with Ae Dil… denied a release, Devgn's film will get all four shows.''

Nitin Datar, president of COEAI, says, "We have not banned, but only suspended the release of films starring Pak actors. We will rethink our decision once our relationship with Pakistan is normal."

Justifying the suspension, association member Sharad Doshi, who owns the city-based Central Plaza, says, "This is the smallest contribution we can make to the national cause."

At this point, it isn't clear if multiplex owners will follow suit. Devang Sampat of Cinepolis says, "We haven't received any letter or intimation from the MNS or any association about such a decision. So, I would not like to comment now."
The Film and Television Producers Guild of India led by Mukesh Bhatt blames it on fear psychosis among single screen theatre owners. "They have taken this call [not to screen the film] fearing damage to their property. We would request the government in power to assure protection. An Indian citizen [Johar] has made a film following all legalities, and it is his fundamental right to do business. The government needs to protect makers like him or else this country will be in a state of anarchy. An international studio is backing the film. If this climate of hate continues, will they invest in Indian films in future? The Prime Minister's Make In India vision will be in jeopardy," adds Bhatt.
Meanwhile, the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) has cleared Ae Dil with a U/A certificate. Board chief Pahlaj Nihalani, interestingly, is on KJo's side. "Once the CBFC certifies a film, no association has the right to ban it. I feel films that have already been shot should not be targeted."

Sounding optimistic about a trouble-free date with movie buffs in theatres, Apoorva Mehta, CEO, Dharma Productions, says, "We are gearing up for its release on October 28. Diwali is all about love and Ae Dil is all about spreading love.
MNS, however, is in no mood to allow the makers to breathe easy. Stressing that multiplex owners in Mumbai have also been warned against screening Ae Dil, the party's cine wing president Ameya Khopkar says, "If they don't comply, we will stop the release in our style. We all know their buildings are made of costly glass."

Inputs by Mohar Basu and Sonil Dedhia