The Accidental Prime Minister, which presents Manmohan Singh's tenure in office, collected Rs 4.5 crore in India on its opening day, despite protests staged by Congress activists in some regions.
"The first day collection of The Accidental Prime Minister is Rs 4.5 crore. Eastern sector had disturbances with the release," a statement from the film's presenter, Pen Studios, said.
#TheAccidentalPrimeMinister picked up from evening shows onwards... Records decent numbers on Day 1... Fri ₹ 4.50 cr. India biz. #TAPM
— taran adarsh (@taran_adarsh) January 12, 2019
Actor Anupam Kher, who plays Manmohan Singh in the film, tweeted on Saturday, "An appeal to the authorities to stop a section of people who are indulging in acts of violence and hooliganism during the screening of our film The Accidental Prime Minister. Also a call out to other sections of people who believe in selective outrage towards freedom of expression."
An appeal to the authorities to stop a section of people who are indulging in acts of violence & hooliganism during the screening of our film #TheAccidentalPrimeMinister. Also a call out to other section of people who believe in selective outrage towards #FreedomOfExpression.???? pic.twitter.com/ULgSPj2H5l
— Anupam Kher (@AnupamPKher) January 12, 2019
The film released on Friday amid tight security as Congress activists protested at some places. The Delhi Youth Wing of the Shiromani Akali Dal on Friday wrote to cinema halls urging them not to show The Accidental Prime Minister as the film defames both Manmohan Singh and the country across the globe. The film is based on Singh's former media advisor Sanjaya Baru’s eponymous book, published in April 2014.
In Punjab's Ludhiana, the film's screening was stopped in a multiplex following protests. The activists held a protest outside the Pavilion Mall following which the multiplex management did not start the show to prevent untoward incidents. The film was however, screened in multiplexes in Chandigarh.
In Kolkata, the screening of the film was cancelled at a theatre due to security reasons amid protest demonstrations by youth Congress activists, police said. According to the viewers at the Hind Cinema near central Kolkata's Chandni Chowk area, the show was cancelled after screening for just 10 minutes on its opening day.