MNS wants same slot for Deva as Tiger Zinda Hai

Just when the nation was breathing easy over the ‘Padmavati’ release controversy, MNS has thrown a spanner into the Samlan Khan starrer ‘Tiger Zinda Hai’ by writing to cinema halls, asking them to give a fair deal to Marathi film ‘Deva’, which will hit the screen the same day – December 22.

Amey Khopkar, the president of the MNS film body, has even threatened to teach the theatre owners a lesson, if they don’t fall in line. “We will teach the theatre owners a lesson in our own language.” Khopkar’s grouse is that Marathi films are not given the prime time slot; also, Yash Raj studio wields more influence and hence no one is ready to give booking to a Marathi film. “This hurts the sentiments of Marathi manoos,’ he lamented.

Yash Raj informed the Free Press Journal, “We have not been informed of any such development, either by the theatres’ association or the MNS.” Khopkar will hold a press conference on Wednesday to announce his next move. MNS leader Shalini Thackeray told ANI, “Marathi films must be given the prime time slot; 'Deva' wasn't given the same screen space as given to 'Tiger Zinda Hai'. If Hindi film industry grabs screen space at the expense of Marathi films, we'll oppose it. We haven't threatened anyone, we just want screen space for Deva.”

Producers of 'Tiger Zinda Hai' were eying a massive opening across the nation, given the kind of craze Salman has. But now it seems there may be some hiccups. On previous occasions, too, several Hindi films have seen strong opposition from the party. Movies such as 'My Name Is Khan' and 'Ae Dil Hai Mushkil' are recent examples, to name a few.