'Chori Chori Chupke Chupke' hits the screen sans hype

By Sandeep Joshi

NEW DELHI, MARCH 9.It was a Friday with a difference at 14 theatres across the capital where the release of the much-talked about ``Chori Chori Chupke Chupke'' saw a heavy police security and an unusually lukewarm response from cinemagoers.

Though the release was peaceful, barring a minor protest by the Shiv Sena's youth wing, Bharatiya Vidyarthi Sena, outside the Odeon cinema in Connaught Place, the talk of the town was not about the film's storyline or its financing allegedly by the underworld, but about the possible threats by ``nationalist forces'' to disrupt the show.

Though the Sangh Parivar withdrew its protest plan, after a Delhi High Court ordered the city administration on Thursday to provide security to the theatres, the police made unprecedented security arrangements at all the 14 theatres. At the opening show at Odeon, the police and film critics of various newspapers outnumbered the viewers. Cinema hall managers struggled to ensure that the first show was ``house full''. Later, they did claim that it was a full house.

In the morning, as the cinema managers and police officers were awaiting the arrival of the film distributor outside Odeon, nearly a dozen Bharatiya Vidyarthi Sena activists appeared, carrying placards and shouting slogans. Within minutes, the police took them away in a van. Those arrested included the Bharatiya Vidyarthi Sena's Delhi leader, Mr. Ajay Srivastava, and its acting president, Mr. Mangat Ram Pandey.

The protest caught the police somewhat off guard and senior officers were seen coordinating with the force deployed at other theatres to avert any further trouble. Soon the distributor arrived with the print and the screening began.

Later, the distributor, Mr. Manpreet Chaddha, claimed that ``the response to the film was good''. A total of 48 prints had been distributed across the northern territory.

Mr. Chaddha said the shows elsewhere also were running normally. He wondered why a hue and cry was being raised as all collections would go to the Maharashtra Government until after the case was decided by court.

The Deputy Commissioner of Police (New Delhi), Mr. R. S. Krishnia, said security would continue at the theatres. ``We will review the situation on a daily basis and then decide accordingly.''

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Section  : National
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