Ahmedabad

Over half a dozen theaters/multiplexes across Gujarat cancelled the shows of Shahrukh Khan starer ‘Dilwale’, which was released today and faced stiff opposition from various quarters, mostly from nationalist organizations to protest the disputed earlier remarks of the actor regarding ‘intolerance’ in India.

At least two cinemas each in Ahmedabad and Surat including the PVR, and one each in Mahesana, Vyara, Mandvi, and Valsad cancelled the shows or stopped it midway in the wake of the protests.

In Ahmedabad a less know outfit Aum Kranti Sena held demonstrations near City Pulse theater in Raipur, Apsara in Kankariya and Revolution in CTM area. A group of doctors also held demo in front of PVR cinema in Thaltej area.

In Surat the activists of Hindu Rashtra Sena protested in front of Rajhans theater in Piplod which stopped the show. Later police detained around a dozen of them including their leader Pavan Jain, PI G A Sarvaiya said. The show in PVR cinema in the diamond city was also cancelled.

In the southern district of Valsad owing to similar protest the show of the film in Cinepark theater was stopped mid way while the Vaibhav cinema in Vyara (Tapi) also cancelled the show.

The show of the film in a theater in Mandavi town of Kutch district was also cancelled though its manager claimed ‘technical’ reasons to be the cause behind cancellation of the show.

Meanwhile the youth wing of BJP the BJYM also held demonstration against the movie near Wide Angle theater in Mahesana town of Northern Guajrat. The theater manager stopped the show in the wake of the protests.

At almost all the places the protesters were carrying various placards depicting Shahrukh and even Amir as betrayers of the nation and with slogans against the actors. They also shouted slogans against Shahrukh for his alleged anti national stance. They appealed people to boycott the movies of the actor who was popularly known as King Khan in cine parlance.

– DeshGujarat