Demands popular show timings for Marathi movies
Sanjeev Shivadekar (MUMBAI MIRROR; October 5, 2015)

The Raj Thackeray-led Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) has warned theatres against screening Gujarati and other regional language movies during prime time, saying the slots should be assigned to Marathi films.

Last week, party workers protested against the screening of Gujjubhai The Great at Sona Gold Cinema in Borivali, which has a large Gujarati-speaking population.

The stir is another sign that after briefly softening its stand on various issues, the MNS, which failed to make an impact in last year's assembly elections, has refocused its attention on the Marathi pride campaign.

"The protest at Sona theatre is just a start. We will continue to protest against screening of Gujarati films and regional language movies other than Marathi during prime time," said Siddidha More, secretary of MNS' women wing.

"The agitation will not be limited to the suburbs or the city. It will cover the entire state. If theatres and multiplexes defy our diktat, we will start a new protest in MNS style."

Theatre owners have questioned the logic of the diktat. "If Marathi movies can be showed in prime time, why can't other regional language films be screened in similar slots?" asked Manoj Desai, executive director of G7 Multiplex and Maratha Mandir said.

Desai added that Mumbai was a cosmopolitan city, and politics should be kept out of arts and culture.

MNS vice-president Abhijit Phanse and Ameya Khopkar, president of MNS Cine Workers Wing, claimed that Marathi films were not being given popular show timings. "But Gujarati films are being screened in prime time. Perhaps it is the effect of the Modi-Shah rule," Phanse said, adding that the MNS would not tolerate undermining of the Marathi pride.

Khopkar said: "In south, the regional language is given the first preference. Marathi should also be given such important in our state."

Last month, the MNS had launched a protest against the Jain community's demand for a meat ban during their fasting period.

Political observers say the MNS is trying to target the Gujarati-speaking population in the state to drum up support among Marathi communities ahead of municipal polls. The elections to Kalyan-Dombivali Municipal Corporation will be held next month, while BMC polls are expected in 2017.

An aggressive, and sometimes violent, campaign against people from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar in Mumbai had helped the MNS gain prominence during the party's early years.

Gujjubhai The Great is a hilarious urban Gujarati comedy film, made on the lines of a David Dhawan or Priyadarshan caper. It stars Siddharth Randeria in a leading role and his typical style of humour is there throughout and needless to say, it takes the film many notches higher. The beginning portions are a bit shaky but the film gets better as it moves ahead. There’s never a dull moment and whenever one anticipates that the film will take a serious turn, a hilarious moment or dialogue will bring the film back on course. There are subplots as well but they are seamlessly incorporated with the principle plot at the right time. Performance wise, Siddharth Randeria as expected rocks and kudos to him for his work as a writer too. Jimmit Trivedi is an actor to watch out for. Dipna Patel looks charming and delivers a fine performance. Khatera Hakimi adds to the glamour and fun quotient in the film. Alekh Sangal gives a confident performance and it’s great that the makers chose a non-Gujarati guy to play the part. In fact, 25-30% of the film is in Hindi. On the whole, this one is definitely a film worth watching – an ideal family entertainer!

My rating - *** ½ out of 5!