Maratha Mandir owner Manoj Desai upset by Vinod Chopra over hiked PK ticket prices, refuses to release the film in single screens
Subhash K Jha (DNA; December 19, 2014)

Three of the oldest and most strategic single-theatres in Mumbai have decided to forgo the grand privilege of releasing the 'film of the year'.

We're talking about Rajkumar Hirani's PK. Regular patrons of Gaiety-Galaxy and Maratha Mandir (the latter being the venue for Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge for a 1000 weeks now) will be deprived of watching the new Aamir Khan-starrer.

Reason? Producer Vidhu Vinod Chopra wants a substantially increased price for the film which means a hike in the ticket rates of nearly a 100 per cent for the theatres.

Ostensibly angry Manoj Desai, the owner of the three theatres, says, "That's right we're not releasing PK. The reason is Mr Vinod Chopra is demanding an unreasonable price. We've been trying to reason with him for three days. But to no avail. So now I have no choice but to reluctantly move on. We're screening the superhit Telugu film Lingaa instead."

Does Desai regret not screening PK? "This is one business that goes on regardless of the films that come and go. Mr Chopra doesn't think so. He told me, 'Dekho tum kitne nuksaan mein jaate ho'. But I firmly believe no one loses out by not releasing one film. I tried to reason with him. But he's blinded by the impending success of PK," he says.

In any case Desai thinks it's time someone belled the cat. "Someone had to take a stand. It's painful to see films starring the Khans being pitched at double the normal price. These people should understand that you need to chew on food a little at a time. If you gobble it all up at once you get indigestion. I'd just like to remind them no one is infallible. And no one's shop closes down just because one customer walks away."

Desai feels Aamir with his image of a man of the masses should not be a part of this avaricious practice of ticket price hiking. "Aamirji does a show about the nation's conscience like Satyamev Jayate. It is saddening to see him talk like this."