"Let the film be released and see how many people go to watch it. People are not supporting the boycott call. The boycott of Aamir Khan's films here is nothing more than a political drama. "All of my friends are supporting my decision. The NSUI has nothing to do with their visit."ĭhenkane, on the other hand, said: "I don't hold either the Congress or the BJP responsible for the misunderstanding and the protest against us. "I only went to the railway station to see my relatives off. The ABVP held the National Student Union of India (NSUI), the student wing of the Congress, responsible for the "anti-Gujarat gesture", saying Rutvij Joshi, president of NSUI's Vadodara unit, was among the five who watched the film in Mumbai. "Anybody from Gujarat who watches Aamir Khan's films is against the interest of the state as the actor has taken a stance against Gujarat," said Kaushal Dave, president of the ABVP's Vadodara unit.
The Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), the student wing of the BJP, staged a demonstration in Vadodara and termed the five as "traitors". "We enjoyed the film," he added, though little did they know about the storm awaiting them on their return Monday. He even promised to attend the first show of the film if and when it would be released in Gujarat," Dhenkane told IANS. Khan last week rejected the BJP's demand for an apology.Īs the word spread that five fans had come to Mumbai to watch "Fanaa", the film's director Kunal Kohli came to see them at the cinema hall. The party is angry with Aamir after the actor expressed solidarity with the Narmada Bachao Andolan and spoke for farmers and tribals being displaced by the state's ambitious Sardar Sarovar dam project on the Narmada river. The much-awaited film released elsewhere in India Friday but not in Gujarat as multiplex and cinema owners decided against it following a boycott call given by the youth wing of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). We decided to go to Mumbai since it was not released here," said Sai Dhenkane, 25, who works in a telecom firm here as the sales manager. "I wanted to see the film for the sake of Kajol who is making a comeback after a couple of years. Ahmedabad, May 31 (IANS) As Aamir Khan's "Fanaa" is not being screened in Gujarat, five youngsters from Vadodara went all the way to Mumbai to watch the film - only to face protests on their return.Ĭlad in T-shirts with "Fanaa" written over them, the five left Saturday night for Mumbai.