As the dispute between the DHA Cinema management and the DHA administration on the issue of installation of digital projector at DHA cinema lengthens out, DHA Cinema, that ceased to function on October 27 and was planned to reopen on October 30, is learnt to be closed for more 7 days leaving cinema goers high and dry. DHA cinema management has also moved the court to seek justice.
The cinema was mysteriously shutdown by the DHA security when the cinema management installed a digital projector in the cinema and was about to run ‘RA-One’ in 3D, sources revealed.
Meanwhile, DHA administration denied any disagreement with DHA cinema management and announced that cinema was shut down in a bid to heighten the security to ensure safety of visitors. However, DHA SHO Zahid ruled out the security reason behind the closure, saying the police had not received any signal and information from any quarter including DHA administration and DHA cinema management that there was a security threat to cinema. “The DHA cinema management would have informed us if there had been any security issue as they have done many times before,” the SHO said while talking to Pakistan Today.
One staffer at the DHA cinema while seeking anonymity said the DHA administration had some issue with the digital projector which is why the cinema has been closed down. “I think the closure has something to with the digital projector,” he said, adding that the cinema was closed a day before ‘Ra.one’ was to be shown. The DHA Cinema is currently being managed by Mandviwalla Entertainments. While talking Pakistan Today, Nadeeem Mandviwalla, the managing director Mandviwalla Entertainment, refrained from commenting on the issue because the matter was in the court. “All I can say that there were no problems of any license or contracts,” he said adding that “the DHA, and not me, claims that the cinema was shut down over security reasons.”
Meanwhile the DHA cinema remains shut. The management has shut all there phones lines and the DHA Cinema website has been temporally been disabled. A public notice emerges which reads, “On Thursday, 27 October 2011, DHA Cinema Management received a letter from the DHA to shutdown the DHA Cinema with immediate effect till Sunday 30th October 2011 on the pretext of security reasons.” It further states “On Friday 28 the DHA Cinema Management served a notice of the Hon’ble Senior Civil Judge Lahore to restrain the DHA from interfering into the managements and operation of the cinema and also restrain from creating hurdles of the free access to the cinema by the viewers and staff of the plaintiff/petitioner.”
The public notice further adds, “On Friday 28 October DHA personnel came with force and sealed the DHA Cinema…by sealing the DHA Cinema, DHA personnel have not only blatantly violated the management agreement between DHA and MEPL but have also disregarded the orders of the Hon’able Senior Civil Judge, Lahore which tantamount to contempt of court”.
DHA PRO Tajammul Hassan insisted that the cinema had security issues. He said that they were extending the walls of the cinema and that the cinema was going through security checks. “We have advertised already in this regard,” he added.