MID-DAY (December 12, 2016)

Shah Rukh Khan spent most part of yesterday at his home before stepping for an important meeting with Raees co-producers Farhan Akhtar and Ritesh Sidhwani. A source informed, “They are obviously scared about the film’s fate. The public won’t forget the wounds left by the Uri attacks in a hurry.”

In an elaborate meeting (read: damage control exercise) with Raj Thackeray, chief of the political outfit Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS), last evening, sources say, SRK requested that his film doesn’t run into trouble like Karan Johar’s Ae Dil Hai Mushkil did: “Shah Rukh is clear that he won’t have any Pakistani players in his IPL team, Kolkata Knight Riders. But, he has requested Raj to allow the release of his movie without any hurdles. He doesn’t want Mahira’s presence to be blown out of proportion.”

Ameya Khopkar, president of MNS cine wing, says, “Shah Rukh informed Raj that he will not be inviting Mahira to India for any promotions for the film.”

It maybe recalled here that Sidhwani, during the trailer launch of Raees, had asserted that the Pak actress could fly down to India to take part in the film’s publicity campaign, if needed. Thackeray told the media posted outside his residence, “He (SRK) had come to tell me that rumours about Mahira Khan promoting Raees were false.”

Sources close to the production house, however, say, "Raj and Ritesh know each other rather well, given that Raj regularly visits Light Box, the Santazruz preview theatre that Ritesh owns, to watch movies. Ritesh was meant to meet up with Raj at his home anyway; this time he decided to take SRK along as well.”

Inputs by Bharati Dubey