More theatres to screen Veer-Zarra from Friday

More theatres to screen Veer-Zarra from Friday
The theatres screening Veer-Zarra on Friday will be provided adequate security, said, Bangalore Police Commissioner S Mariswamy.

Deccan Herald

Following the successful screening of Hindi film Veer-Zarra by some exhibitors for three consecutive days, four more theatre owners who mainly screen non-Kannada films have come forward to exhibit the new Hindi film.

Speaking to Deccan Herald, a film exhibitor, who did not wish to be identified said that four more exhibitors have come forward to screen Veer-Zarra starring Shahrukh Khan from Friday provided the police give them adequate security.
“At present, there are only three prints of the film and they are being exhibited at three cinema halls in the City, four more prints are expected to arrive Bangalore on Wednesday night from Mumbai and we are confident of screening them in four more theatres,” he said.

“As the screening rights of these prints have been purchased directly from the producer, there has been a hue and cry from the members of Karnataka Film Chamber of Commerce (KFCC). The KFCC is claiming it is a violation of the rules of the Chamber,” he said.

KFCC claims that the producer of the film is not a member of the Chamber and according to the rules of the Chamber any film produced by a non-member cannot be screened in the State, he said.

“We are however going ahead with the screening. Normally mega Hindi films get screened at 12 to 14 theatres, as some of the exhibitors have backed out from screening, it is being screened only in seven theatres,” he added.

Meanwhile, according to sources in the KFCC, Chief Minister Dharam Singh has invited the distributors, exhibitors and producers for a meeting on Thursday evening at 7.30 pm to discuss the ongoing film crisis.

Deputy Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and the key players in the industry will also participate in the meeting, sources said.

Bangalore Police Commissioner S Mariswamy said that the theatres have been provided security.

Karnataka Rakshana Vedike (KRV) has threatened to intensify its agitation. A member of the vedike said that the KRV activists will gherao theatres screening non-Kannada films.