In a press note, Yash Raj Films has countered the charges levelled by ADF. “For a company like ours, which has maintained the highest standards of work ethics and fair play, this has really come as a shock. As we have mentioned in the past, all the exhibitors, when approached by us earlier this year for booking their theatres, were happy to play out Yashji’s movie considering their long standing and emotional relationship and goodwill with YRF of over 40 years. A Yash Chopra/Shah Rukh Khan movie, coming after a gap of eight long years, did not need any coercion for contractual screening. Additionally, some exhibitors, who played ‘Ek Tha Tiger’, have chosen not to screen ‘Jab Tak Hai Jaan’.”
The release further states that it is also unfair to say that YRF is in any way in a dominant position. “While we are releasing just three films this year, the two production houses in question, Viacom18 and Eros, who are distributing ‘Son of Sardar’, have a combined release strength of almost 27 films in a year…Everyone agrees that the festive time of Diwali has space for two simultaneous releases. Give the audience a choice to choose the one they want to watch. Few of the exhibitors have already chosen, on the basis of a business decision, the one they want to exhibit.”