MNS gains ground as B’wood licks its wounds
POLITICAL MILEAGE Raj Thackeray has managed to hijack Shiv Sena’s decades-old ‘patriotism’ agenda by making B-Town accept his diktat NOW SHOWING: THEATRE OF PROTEST
MUMBAI: With Bollywood producers bowing to his diktat and even the chief minister mediating to ensure the release of Ae Dil Hai Mushkil,MaharashtraNavnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray appears to have scored a big win.
Saturday’s development surprised many as the MNS threat to ransack multiplexes did not seem serious — Mumbai police were already prepared to preempt any violent protests. Even political analysts did not give much significance to the party’s stand because Thackeray’s threats in the recent past have just remained threats. In this background, Thackeray managed to score well by sending out the message that his party was still a strong force in Mumbai.
The entire episode helped the MNS raise its importance in the political arena. Not only was the state government a mute spectator, it also endorsed the ‘unconstitutional way’ of settling the issue. But analysts see more politics than governance as the reason behind chief minister Devendra Fadnavis’ action.
By convening a meeting of the film producers with Thackeray at his official residence, Fadnavis killed two birds with one stone. He managed to broker peace ahead of Diwali by ensuring the film’s smooth release while allowing the MNS to gain political mileage out of the controversy.
The episode highlighted the rising camaraderie between BJP and MNS in the state over the last couple of years and, more importantly, when crucial Mumbai civic polls are just three months away. Analysts feel it is a deliberate attempt by Fadnavis as his party attempts to cut its ally, the Shiv Sena, to size. Both Sena and MNS share the same voter base — the Marathi ‘manoos’ in Mumbai. If Thackeray’s party eats into the Sena’s share, the BJP, contesting on its own, will find it easier to outsmart its partner in the civic polls.
“The MNS has successfully hijacked the Shiv Sena’s decadesold agenda of so-called patriotism by appearing to have won the battle against the film producers. The party, at an all-time low since it was formed 10 years ago, has definitely got a political boost...” said a Sena leader. BAJIRAO MASTANI
Ranveer Singh, Deepika Padukone’s film Bajirao Mastani saw protests in several parts of Maharashtra. Local BJP cadres participated in demonstrations and demanded a ban on the film.
They believed the film distorted the facts about the eraof
Peshwa rulers GOLIYON KI RASLEELA RAM-LEELA
Before Bajirao, the trio of Ranveer Singh, Deepika Padukone and Sanjay Leela Bhansali faced similar protests. Protesters in Indore, Rajkot, Jalandhar and New Delhi blocked roads, and burnt posters, demanding a ban on the film’s release over its portrayal of Kshatriyas PK
Aamir Khan had to struggle through several hurdles when Rajkumar Hirani’s PK hit theatres in December. A critical take on religious practices, protesters claimed it maligned Hindus and attacked their practices MY NAME IS KHAN
Shiv Sena objected to actor Shah Rukh Khan’s comment that
Pakistani players should be allowed to play in India and disrupted the screening of his movie at several theatres across Maharashtra JODHAA AKBAR HAIDER
Director Vishal Bhardwaj’s rendition of William Shakespeare’s Hamlet was attacked mainly for ‘portraying the Indian army in bad light’, ‘hurting’ Hindu sentiments and ‘overlooking the plight of Kashmiri Pandits’ FANAA
Aamir extended his support for
Narmada
Bachao
Andolan, upsetting two major political parties - BJP and Congress. The movie was never screened in Gujarat as a result of the ban imposed.
Ashutosh Gowarikar’s film was slammed for distorting facts about historical figures like Akbar and Jodhaa. Several states, including UP, Haryana and Rajasthan, initially banned the movie. The
Hrithik Roshan-Aishwarya Rai-starrer, however, was eventually screened across all states after a few days as the ban was lifted