[dropcap]T[/dropcap]he screening of the controversial movie MSG - The Messenger was stopped at more than four cinema halls in Delhi after protest at various locations on Friday. Cinema officials however maintained that the movie was taken down after a luke warm response to the movie.
Protestors had reportedly staged a demonstration in West Delhi’s Tilak Nagar, Vikaspuri, Janak Puri, Rajouri Garden and east Delhi’s Karkardooma.
According to police officials, while the protestors were small in number, the protestors quickly dispersed after cinema hall officials alerted the police. “The protest occurred between 11am and noon. The protestors quickly dispersed once they cinema officials conveyed that the movie had been removed owing to low attendance,” said a police official.
MSG, the debut movie of Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh, was attracted much controversy ever since it received clearance by the Film Certification Appellate Tribunal on January 12 after initial objection by the Censor Board of Film Certification.
The clearance by the Tribunal had resulted in mass resignation by Censor Board officials.
The movie was finally slated for a release on February 13 in more than 4000 cinema halls.
Although taking precautionary measures the Delhi police had deployed police personnel outside cinema halls and had further kept heavy forces on standby incase of resistance or protest.
MSG, the movie is directed, produced, written and edited by the Dera chief who also plays the lead role. Singh is facing trial in three cases — a rape case and two murder cases —at a special CBI court in Panchkula.
