'Padmaavat' not screened in Aligarh after threats to theatres

Theatre owners here did not screen the film "Padmaavat" following threats by a local organisation and the recent protests against its release in several states, including Uttar Pradesh.

The Sanjay Leela Bhansali-directed period drama starring Deepika Padukone, Shahid Kapoor and Ranveer Singh was released across the country yesterday amid tight security.

"This is a voluntary decision taken by theatre owners. We had strengthened security outside cinema halls where the film was to be screened. However, they did not ask us for any additional security," Senior Superintendent of Police Rajesh Pandey told PTI.

The move by cinema halls came after Kshatriya Mahasabha, district coordinator, Santosh Kumar Singh, warned owners here to refrain from screening the film.

"We have been patrolling different cinema theatres since the past two days. We conveyed our message to all cinema halls that if they chose to ignore our diktat then this would be entirely at their own risk," Singh said.

Posters of the film at cinema halls were also removed.

A theatre owner, on the condition of anonymity, told PTI that they were watching the situation. "We will decide the future course of action in the next two to three days," he said.

He said that owners were not willing to risk any loss of life or property for the sake of a film despite the police assuring adequate security.