Mumbai:
Just as makers of reality TV show Bigg Boss on Colors must were about to breathe a sigh of relief after the Shiv Sena allowed cable operators to broadcast the show, following an apology letter from the channel, the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) is all set to make things more difficult for the show.
"Such shows will keep happening as long as there are sponsors. The MNS will call for a boycott of the sponsors until they change their decision about sponsoring this show.
"We called the companies, who are sponsoring the show, to re-think their decision. If they fail to do so, we will have to undertake an agitation against these companies as well," said Ameya Khopkar, president, Maharashtra Navnirman Cine Workers' Association.
The party, which had been silent on the issue till now, maintained that it was MNS who had first opposed the inclusion of Pakistani actors in the show. "We realised that such agitations actually benefit the show and the sponsors. These shows run with the help of sponsors and if we approach the sponsors directly and ask them to re-think their decision, then the show will go off the air for sure," said Khopkar.
Meanwhile, the channel on Friday wrote a letter to Sena, saying that it extended its apology if anyone's feelings were hurt by the show, informed Sena leader Anil Parab.
"In response to their apology letter we have asked the cable operators to broadcast the channel. However, the channel has not assured us about the removal of the Pakistani actors. Therefore, our agitation will continue until they remove those two actors from their show," said Parab.
Not willing to let go of the chance to attack Sena over this, MNS has said that this is an old habit of Sena's of leaving the issue hanging without any result.
"This is how they function. Sena just takes up the issue, but cannot take it to the finish. One apology letter was enough for the party to withdraw its black-out on the channel. The show is running and Sena's so-called boycott on the show has already ended," said Khopkar.
With MNS now jumping in the fray over this issue, with the same goal but a different target, the reality drama outside the Boss's house will probably grab as much TRP, if not more, than the drama going on inside the house.
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