Year

Country

Home

People

Films

Articles

Store

Bal Thackeray, the Shiv Sena party leader threatened to organise protests by his party members at opening day screenings of Shah Rukh Khan’s My Name is Khan on 12^th February 2010 after the star had refused to apologise for comments he made about the absence of Pakistani players in the India Premier League.

Although it was a sentiment echoed by other public figures – including India’s Home Minister – Hindu activist Thackeray took exception to the Muslim Khan’s comments.   Claiming that his words were an insult to Mumbai, which was the target in 2008 of terrorist militants trained in Pakistan, he demanded an apology.   When none was forthcoming, Thackeray threatened to disrupt screenings, a threat which prompted Ashok Chavan, the Chief Minister of State of Maharashtra, in which Mumbai is located, to arrest up to 2,000 party members as a precautionary measure.

Both sides claimed victory on the day of the release after police arrested around 50 party members for rioting and unlawful assembly.   Shiv Sena leaders claimed their protests had forced many cinemas to cancel screenings – and were supported by the fact that many smaller cinemas chose not to screen the film because of fears of violence.   At the CR2 multiplex situated in the Nariman Point area of Mumbai, over 50 police officers, many armed with nightsticks, were stationed outside the cinema for the protection of the owners and staff.   However, multiplexes in the cities reported packed audiences at their screenings, with some cinemas in New Delhi showing the film more than 10 times on the day.

 [ADD]

10/2/2010: My Name is Khan Protestors Arrested