Exhibitor Manoj Desai refuses to bow down to arm-twisting tactics by PK makers.
If you hope to catch the Aamir Khan-Anushka Sharma starrer PK for just Rs 80/100 in Gaitey-Galaxy (Bandra)/Maratha Mandir (Mumbai Central), you might be in for a disappointment.
Buzz is, the film's distributor VIP Movies ordered Manoj Desai (owner of Gaiety-Galaxy and Maratha Mandir) to jack up the ticket prices which didn't go down well with him. Desai, in turn, told them that he wouldn't be interested in PK.
When contacted, Desai said, "We open the advance-booking on Wednesday for a Friday movie. But when I called up Vinay Choksi (a partner at VIP Movies) to discuss PK, I was in for a shock. He told me that if I didn't hike the ticket rates to Rs 200 (Stall) and Rs 300 (Balcony) for PK, I should look for an alternative. He wanted me to increase the rates in Maratha Mandir too. However, I did not relent. As a result, I won’t have PK in my cinema halls. Honestly, I dont mind running any other film.”
Added Desai, "Tickets at my cinemas are priced modestly. This ensures that the good films run for longer periods and have high footfalls, not just during the weekend but also on weekdays."
What if the PK gang asks him to meet at at a middle point tomorrow, we asked? Said Desai, "I stick to my decision. I will not budge. The ball is in Aamirs court."
Over to you, Aamir.