Veer Zaara screened in other theatres

Dharam steps in, averts exhibitor-producer tiff
Times of India

Bangalore: Late evening intervention by chief minister N. Dharam Singh on Tuesday averted a showdown between Kannada filmdom-cum-activists and a handful of exhibitors who screened Hindi film Veer-Zaara, despite the informal three-week moratorium in the state.

After a Kannada film delegation, including Parvathamma Rajkumar, called on Singh and deputy CM Siddaramaiah, the industry put on hold till Thursday its plan to take to the streets, led by Rajkumar. Association president Basant Kumar Patil told The Times of India: “The CM has asked us not to go ahead with the agitation. We will wait till Thursday, when we are meeting him again in an attempt to resolve the issue.’’

With this, Singh also bought time for the state to find a way to avoid a contempt petition being filed by film producer Yash Chopra in the Supreme Court against the government and the Bangalore police commissioner over non-screening of the film.

Patrons viewed Veer-Zaara in three theatres, after being subjected to individual frisking and heavy security. Even high drama in the form of a self-immolation bid by Kannada Rakshana Vedike activists, 11 of whom were arrested by the police outside Cauvery theatre, did not deter the cine enthusiasts.

Consequently, Chopra directed his advocates to keep the contempt petition on “stand-by’’. Chopra’s lawyer Dinesh K. Garg said over phone from Delhi: “Theatres have cooperated with us and released the film in Bangalore, so we have not filed the petition. But it is ready.’’

In the face of this petition hanging, apex industry body Karnataka Film Chamber of Commerce issued a showcause notice to the three theatres — Cauvery, Vaibhav and Swagath — seeking explanation on violation of their rule that only members can release movies in Karnataka. Chopra, who has directly released the film prints to the theatres, is not a KFCC member.

“We also requested exhibitors other than the three who have released the film to convince them to fall in line,’’ Chamber president H.D. Gangaraj said.

Vice-president (producer) Sa.Ra. Govindu added KFCC was itself holding direct talks with the exhibitors for “voluntary’’ withdrawal of Veer-Zaara till three weeks are over. “If there is an agitation against it, we will certainly be part of it,’’ he stated.