The upcoming Salman Khan film Tiger Zinda Hai on Wednesday ran into rough weather ahead of its release on December 22, with the MNS’ film wing writing to multiplex theatre owners demanding equal screen space to Marathi film Deva Ek Atrangee and threatening to stall the shooting of movies being made by Yesh Raj Productions in different parts of the State.
Two days ahead of the release of Tiger Zinda Hai (TZH), Maharashtra Navnirman Chitrapat Sena (MNCN), a film wing of MNS, mounted pressure on both the multiplex theatre owners and Yesh Raj Productions that has produced TZH against meting out “raw deal” to Deva Ek Atrangee which is hitting the screens on the same as Salman Khan’s film.
Addressing a joint news conference along with the actors featuring in the forthcoming Marathi, MNCN president Amye Khopkar slammed Yesh Raj production for insisting on the multiplex owners to hold five shows of Salman Khan’s film in each of their screens. “We have nothing against Tiger Zinda Hai. But, we are opposing dadagiri indulged in by Yesh Raj Productions If Yesh Raj Productions does not come around, we will not allow the shooting of its films that are going on in different parts of Maharashtra,” Khopkar said.
Rooting for cancellation of licences of all such multiplexes that do not priority to Marathi films, Khopkar said: “It is a must that Marathi films are priority in Maharashtra. The state government should cancel the licences of all such multiplexes that do not screen Marathi films. We have already spoken to State Cultural Affairs Minister Vinod Tawade in this regard”.
In a related development, Khopkar has shot off a letter to multiplex owners to give equal screen space to Marathi film Deva Ek Atrangee, the release of which is coinciding with superstar Salman Khan's Tiger Zinda Hai. In his letter, Khopkar warned the multiplex owners that MNCN would deal with them in a typical MNS style (through intimidation or violence), if they failed to comply with his organisation’s demand.
“If you don't understand this language then we will have to use our special language to make you understand,” Khopkar wrote.