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Haryana theatres suspend Khap film screening
City residents wishing to catch this week’s Bollywood release ‘Khap’ are in for disappointment. No multiplex in Gurgaon is screening the film after widespread protests by the All India Jat Mahasabha on the controversial subject.
City residents wishing to catch this week’s Bollywood release ‘Khap’ are in for disappointment. No multiplex in Gurgaon is screening the film after widespread protests by the All India Jat Mahasabha on the controversial subject.
Anant Verma, head operations, DT Cinemas, however, said, “We are not screening the film in South Delhi and Gurgaon halls as we do not have a slot. Other English and Hindi films are doing good business.”
Succumbing to agitation threats, two cinema halls in Haryana suspended the first screening of ‘Khap’ on Friday.
Apprehending violent protests, Glitz Multiplex in Kurukshetra and Anand theatre in Sonepat did not show the flick. Barring these two theatres, managements of all other cinema halls in the state, including multiplexes in Gurgaon, have preferred to avoid controversy and decided against showing the film.
Executives at both theatres confirmed that today's shows were suspended and no bookings were done for Saturday's shows.
“A final decision will be announced on Sunday,” said an executive at Glitz. No untoward incident, however, was reported and Kurukshetra deputy commissioner CG Rajini Kaanthan said no representation in favour or against the film was submitted at his office.
According to the official website www.khapthefilm.com, produced and directed by Ajai Sinha, the film deals with the subject of honour killings.
Khap and Jat leaders have already opposed the movie for maligning khap panchayats. Om Prakash Mann, state president of All India Jat Mahasabha, told Hindustan Times from Bhiwani that they would not allow the movie to be screened anywhere in Haryana.
“Khap panchayats have never favoured or supported honour killings. But the movie is a calculative move to make money by maligning the age-old institution,” he said.
