The middle class, lower middle class and the poor in the western suburbs in Mumbai may have to shell out a bomb to watch Aamir Khan's PK. The distributor of the movie has asked all single screen owners to increase the rates of their tickets evidently to cash in on the huge buzz that surrounds the movie. While most cinema owners have bowed down to the demands of the distributors, one feisty exhibitor, Manoj Desai has refused to accede to these arm-twisting tactics. 

Manoj Desai who is the Executive director of G7 Multiplex (Gaiety Galaxy) and Maratha Mandir Cinema has decided not to screen PK at both Gaiety Galaxy and Maratha Mandir. Speaking to Tellychakkar.com, Manoj said, "The issue is not going to be resolved because I don't want to exhibit that film with the rate of 150, 250 and 300. I have masses as my audience which comprise of middle class and lower middle class people. Where will they go if I increase the rates? I have a capacity of 1000 each in Gaiety and Maratha Mandir. So you can't increase the rates and my simple demand is that it should remain the same which is 80 (stall) and 100 (balcony) and they(distributors) should be happy. If they are not happy, I have no problems in not screening PK."

When asked about Aamir's hand in the entire issue, Manoj said, "Aamir is not involved, I think. He is not the kind of person who will do such things. This is Vidhu Vinod Chopra who in collusion with UTV thinks that he can do anything."

With the movie set to release tomorrow, there is very little time left to resolve the issue. Manoj also said that there has been no communication from Aamir yet in the issue. "There has been no communication yet from Aamir and it will not look nice if I call him from my end. If he calls then I will talk. But with the movie is releasing tomorrow, there is no chance of it releasing it at Gaitey and Maratha Mandir under such circumstances." 

Meanwhile, we called up a few other single screens to check the pricing of tickets for PK. Mehul Theater in Mulund (Central Suburb) has increased the price of its balcony tickets by 20 while at Regal and Sterling situated in the posh South Mumbai too have been forced to hike their ticket prices by a princely 70 rupees. A representative from Sterling told us that only the first day of the show will have normally priced tickets starting tomorrow while the rest have been increased as per the distributor's diktat. 

Trade analysts however feel this sudden increase in ticket prices will not dent the collections of PK. Says film expert Ssarita Singh, "Single screens are slowly dying and people are moving over multiplexes today. Also, one shouldn't forget that the festive season is about to begin. And this being an Aamir Khan movie, I am sure people wouldn't mind shelling out that extra 100 rupee from their pockets. The movie will be a definite blockbuster despite a few single screens not screening it."