Businessman Raj Kundra, husband of actress Shilpa Shetty, called on Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray on Monday.
The meeting comes two days after an attack on Filmalaya studios, allegedly by activists of the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) led by Uddhav’s cousin Raj Thackeray, during a martial arts show being produced by Mr. Kundra.
Ten MNS activists have been arrested.
“He [Mr. Kundra] met Uddhavji today evening, where our leader has assured him all possible help from the Sena,” said Vijay Parab, Secretary of the Bharatiya Chitrapat Sena, the party’s film wing.
Police said six MNS activists barged into the studio at 7.30 p.m. on Saturday and tried to extort Rs. 5 lakh from the staff. They wanted to know whether the technicians working on the programme were carrying identity cards issued by their film union. After they were shown the cards, they demanded money, police said. “The staff refused and they started beating up the manager,” alleged Santosh Patil, a security guard who was a witness to the attack. “Some people on the sets retaliated,” he said.
Mr. Patil was injured on the head and hand.
The MNS workers returned at around 10.30 p.m. with a mob of 100-150 men armed with iron rods and sticks, police said. “They broke the gate and cabin glass. They shattered the windshield of two cars and tore up posters,” a police officer said.
One of the damaged cars belonged to Mr. Kundra.
MNS denied the extortion charge and said its members only retaliated on being attacked. “The producers initially hired our union members as the show’s audience. Then they abruptly decided to hire other people. We went there seeking an explanation,” said Ameya Khopkar, president of the MNS’s film union.
