(GL Exclusive) Bollywood film ‘ABCD 2’ creates major drama at Lahore’s DHA Cinema .

by Momin Ali Munshi

Friday 19 June seemed like just another night at Lahore’s popular DHA Cinema. Yes, it was the first day of Ramzan but movie-buffs had gathered in huge numbers to catch the first show of the much awaited Varun Dhawan, Shraddha Kapoor dance flick ‘ABCD 2’. Due to Ramzan the show timings were tweaked a bit and the first show post-iftaar was to start at 10:45pm. The audience sat in their seats, the pre-movie commercials played, then the National Anthem ( which is a norm at DHA Cinema) and then the film finally started. About two hours later the film had progressed towards its climax and the ending was almost upon the audience when something strange happened and the crowd went berserk.

In the film the scene was such that the last dance was to begin , the mega finale dance which was what the entire film had been leading to, the audience was already excited and the cheering had already begun. But boom, cut, and the end credits start playing.

A visibly confused audience did not know what to do. Maybe it was a technical error they reassured themselves but when the credits ended and the curtains were drawn they knew something was not right. While some indifferent viewers walked out of the cinema, the majority was still on the seats wanting some answers.

The management was soon called and the explanation put forward was that the last scene had the use of Indian flags and hence the censor board had chopped the scene off and the cinema was not at fault as this was the print they had received. But the cine-goers would not have this and wanted to see the end or be refunded. An hour later, after the so-called ‘dharna’ and the hilarious exchange of words between the female cine-goers and the cinema management the tickets were refunded.

But the main question still remains? Why would Distributors Club which are the Pakistani distributors of the film,  release a film which had the last 15 minutes chopped off. Nobody in their right mind would want to spend 500-700 in a cinema to watch a film which ends before the climax even starts.

Moreover the sight of an Indian flag should not have raised so many eyebrows given the fact that almost ever other Bollywood film has some patriotic/religious track where the flag is seen. Hell, we saw an entire song called “India Waale” in the 2014 release ‘Happy New Year’. I havent yet seen the questionable portion so cannot comment on it but given the entire fiasco I will soon see it.

Lastly just for some additional information let me tell you that the film has set the Indian box-office on fire and is bound to set new records. However it seems highly unlikely that the same fate will be replicated here  in Pakistan.

Lets wait now and see what happens tomorrow. Will the film still be screened? Will it be taken off? Or will the censor allow the climax to be shown. You stay tuned to Galaxy Lollywood for all the updates.