Sena makes dent in earnings of 'My Name Is Khan'

After seeing a limited release in Mumbai on Friday, My Name Is Khan (MNIK) was shown in almost all theatres, except a couple in and around the Shiv Sena headquarters, on Saturday.

 Although the Shiv Sena has said that it will continue its protests against Shah Rukh and the film, no Sena cadres were seen anywhere near any of the theatres showing MNIK.

Sources say that the Hindu right wing party has conceded defeat at the hands of Mumbaikars who have shown no fear and ventured into the theatres despite a hovering cloud of violence and vandalism by Sena supporters.

 Although the film has released practically everywhere by now, theatre owners are a wee bit worried, especially about night shows.

“We are keeping a close watch on night shows and hoping there’s no violence. There is a risk of course, but we are satisfied with the protection the state government has provided us. We have opened the film at all our properties,” said Shirish Handa, CEO of Fun Cinemas.

The Sena, though, has managed to create a dent in the fortunes of the movie, as trade experts say that the movie stands to lose around Rs3 crore in Mumbai and the rest of Maharashtra. At the domestic market, the film garnered approximately Rs8 crore on the first day but analysts say that it would have taken home Rs11 crore if the movie had got a wider release.

“The opening’s huge. However, if the film had got a bigger release, it would have collected a lot more since the anticipation for MNIK was great,” said trade analyst Taran Adarsh.