The screening of Bollywood actor Akshay Kumar’s recently-released film ‘Sooryavanshi’ was stopped in as many as five halls in Punjab’s Hoshiarpur after a group of farmers, protesting against the central farm laws, forcing cinemas in the city to stop the screening.
Activists of the Bharti Kisan Union (Kadian), led by the outfit's district president Swaran Dhugga, staged a demonstration and a protest march from the local Shaheed Udham Singh Park to Swaran cinema against the screening of the movie.
They forced the cinema hall authorities to stop screening the movie, and condemned the actor for not speaking up in support of their protest.
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According to reports, some of of the protesters also tore posters of the movie put up outside the theatres, saying they were opposing actor Akshay Kumar for not supporting their protest.
The protesters added that they would not allow screening of his movies until the farm laws are repealed.
Hundreds of farmers are encamped at Delhi borders since November last year demanding that the government repeal the three agri laws -- Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020; Farmers' (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, 2020; and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020.
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They claim that these laws will leave them at the mercy of corporates. They are also demanding a new law to guarantee the minimum support price (MSP) for their crops.
The Centre, which has held 11 rounds of talks with farmers to break the deadlock, has maintained that the new laws are pro-farmer.
Rohit Shetty’s ‘Sooryavanshi’ starring Akshay Kumar and Katrina Kaif with Ajay Devgn and Ranveer Singh in key roles on the first day of its release, reportedly collected more than Rs 25 crores. It has taken the best start for a Hindi film since the release of ‘War’ (2019) in terms of collections and when it comes to footfalls, it’s the best start for a Hindi film since ‘Dabangg 3’ (2019).
(With Inputs From PTI)
