Protests against ''Fanaa'' continues in Gujarat

Vadodara, May 29 (UNI) Tension prevailed at the M S University of Baroda here today when supporters of the ABVP took serious exception to the reported visit of a group of MSU students to Mumbai to watch Aamir Khan-starrer ''Fanaa'' in the wake of an anti-Aamir agitation in Gujarat.

Tension ran high when ABVP supporters, carrying placards, staged noisy protests before the faculty of Commerce.

A group of seven Aamir Khan fans, including four students from the M S University, had travelled all the way to Mumbai on Saturday to see the film because of the ''ban'' on the film in Gujarat. They returned to the city today.

The youngsters, who had booked their tickets online in a multiplex in Juhu, were surprised to see ''Fanaa'' director Kunal Kohli himself greeting them at the theatre for their bold venture.

Meanwhile, in Ahmedabad, members of the Video Parlours Owners Assocation of Ahmedabad (VPWA) staged demonstrations condemning Aamir Khan for his alleged anti-Narmada statement and for supporting Narmada Bachao Andolan activist Medha Patkar.

The 80-odd members of the VPWA assembled at Vastrapur area here and raised slogans against Aamir Khan. They also burnt posters and broke CDs of Aamir Khan's films.

Meanwhile, the Gujarat Multiplex Owners Association (GMWA) is hoping for an early resolution of the ''Fanaa'' controversy as its members are incurring financial losses due to non-screening of the film.

''Fanaa'' was slated for release in all the 22 multiplexes in Gujarat.

Aamir Khan has received a lot of flak in Gujarat for his support to the Narmada Bachao Andolan. A cinema house in Vadodara, showing his movie ''Rang De Basanti'', had earlier been attacked forcing the show to be suspended.

Cinema theatre owners in most parts of the State have suspended Aamir Khan's films apprehending trouble.

UNI SS-MP MAZ LR KP2243