Deprtment opened to a very dull collections across India. The opening was around 10-15% at multiplexes and the film will need a remarkable turnaround to have any worthwhile collections. The film has a wide release but even still collections will be very low.

Mr Bhatti On Chutti had extremely low collections of 0-5% and has no chance at the box office.

The childrens animation film Chhota Bheem And The Curse Of Damyaan managed to open well at some screens due to block bookings prior to release. The film has a limited release and had no promotion but the film has seen some footfalls probably due to bookings by schools. The DT cinemas in Delhi saw a strong opening.

In the last couple of years, the actor has not signed any big brand endorsement deals although his portfolio still boasts of more than a dozen brands. People in the endorsement industry say that SRK’s image has suffered in the last couple of years not only due to the controversies that have surrounded him but also because he is an ageing celebrity.

Cola major PepsiCo, for which SRK was a brand ambassador for a long period, dropped him in 2009. In a move that was veering towards the youth, the cola major got on board Ranbir Kapoor. Later, telecom major Airtel did not renew its contract with SRK, although, they have not officially announced their disassociation with him.

Today, his roster of more than a dozen of brand endorsements include Belmonte, V-jon, Navratna, Dabur sona chandi, Lux Cozi, Linc pens, besides a few marquee names such as Tag Heuer and Hyundai. SRK’s endorsement rates haven’t come down though as he charges around Rs 1.5 crore per day. However, it’s 50% less than what his contemporary Aamir Khan commands, but the latter has largely been off the endorsement market of late, say industry people.

“What you are seeing is something that a lot of stars have gone through. It’s a transitional phase which all celebrities go through; while some bow out gracefully, some do not. It is an inevitable shift of power and it has not been a smooth ride for him,” says Santosh Desai, CEO at Future Brands.

However, some of the brands that he endorses are sticking with him. DTH player Dish TV, which has him as a brand ambassador for over five years, says these incidents have had no rub-off as far as his brand appeal among masses goes. “There is no dent that has been made on Brand SRK, we will continue to have our association with him,” says Salil Kapoor, COO, Dish TV.

The “unanimous” decision was taken at the MCA Managing Committee meeting called to discuss action on Khan who was involved in a skirmish with the security and officials of the association after KKR’s victory over Mumbai Indians on Wednesday night.

MCA president Vilasrao Deshmukh, who chaired the meeting, said that his association was sending out a message that misbehaviour of any kind would not be tolerated.

“If rules are violated, action will be taken. It does not depend who the individual is. It’s a message to everyone whosoever he or she may be that stern action will be taken if there is any misbehaviour,” he told a press conference.

Khan had, however, had denied he had misbehaved and acted only after children, including his kids, were “manhandled” by the security staff.

“How can he go inside the ground without proper accreditation? Even I can’t go inside the ground if not invited for presentation ceremony,” he said.

“We have handed a five-year ban on him and it was a unanimous decision. It applies to any match whether domestic or international at the Wankhede,” he said.

Asked if BCCI can reverse this decision to ban Khan, Deshmukh said, “We have taken a decision to protect the dignity of our association. BCCI is our parent body and we have written to them informing what had happened. We have no control over BCCI’s decision. We are also an independent body with the Wankhede being our property.”

IPL chairman Rajiv Shukla, however, said that a final decision will be taken by the BCCI.

“State bodies can only recommend but a final decision has to be taken by the BCCI. When the matter comes to BCCI, the Board will decide (on the ban),” he told reporters in New Delhi.

Deshmukh said that many MCA officials were present at the time of the fracas and they have expressed their strong views against Khan in the meeting.

“There were a lot of MCA officials present at the time of fracas. Nothing more was needed to prove that he (Khan) misbehaved. The Assistant Commissioner of Police himself was present and he said Khan was drunk,” he said.

Asked if there was still a chance of the ban being reconsidered, Deshmukh said, “There is no question of that. Khan did not make any representation to us, nor apologise. He could also have filed a police complaint but he did not do that.

“Whether BCCI, IPL or MCA, such kind of misbehaviour cannot be tolerated. We have also filed a police complaint and it’s upto the police to act now,” he added.

BCCI Chief Administrative Officer Ratnakar Shetty said that the Board has received a complaint from the MCA regarding the fracas.

“The BCCI has got a complaint from the MCA. We will see to it. We will also think of some measures from the next IPL onwards to ensure that such incidents do not happen in future,” he said.

“This is an unprecedented situation. We have never come across such incidents in the last five years at the Wankhede Stadium. It was extreme restrain shown by the MCA officials in the face of abusive language being hurled on them. They should be appreciated,” said Shetty.

Khan had categorically denied that he was drunk and claimed that the scuffle broke out after MCA officials manhandled his kids who he had come to pick after the IPL match between KKR and Mumbai Indians. MCA officials, who have lodged a police complaint against the actor, however, gave a different version.

Khan had also refused to apologise, saying that the security personnel and the MCA officials were high-handed and it was they who provoked him to use abusive language.

“I was not drunk, I had gone to pick up my children. The officials were extremely aggressive. I just got angry and said a few things in anger. I was one and they were 20-25 officials and they were extremely rude,” Khan had said.

Royal Challengers Bangalore team-owner Vijay Mallya said that “being a team-owner does not override conduct”.

“I don’t think ownership or status of Mr Khan is in question. Whatever I have seen is the MCA questioning his behaviour and that has to be addressed. The fact that he is a team-owner that does not override conduct,” Mallya said in New Delhi.

Asked about the ban on Khan by the MCA, Mallya refused to comment, saying, “That’s strictly between MCA and affected person. I can’t comment on that.”

On suggestion on some quarters that IPL should be stopped, Mallya said, “I don’t think IPL has any role to play. Stopping IPL is a senseless suggestion.”

Shahrukh Khan Press Conference on Wankhede Controversy

MCA soon after claimed that the actor was drunk and was abused its security guard and other officials who didn’t allow him and the children that accompanied him to enter the ground. The actor called a press conference denying the charges slammed on him by the MCA. “I was not drunk and I didn’t abuse any female fan. I will not apologize in fact I owe an apology for they cannot manhandle children in the name of security” retorted Shah Rukh. MCA even filed an NC against the actor, asking for a ban on him from entering Wankhede.

MCA President Vilasrao Deshmukh said the concerned steps will be taken. However sources claim, BCCI is trying hard to convince both parties MCA and SRK to call it a truce.

“MCA could drop the charges if SRK apologizes to MCA so BCCI could ask the actor to do so or they could ask MCA to compromise on the charges” said our sources close to BCCI. An urgent meeting will be conducted on Friday afternoon to sort out the issue.

After spot fixing allegations, looks like IPL has got another controversy to deal with. An American woman has accused RCB player of molesting her, beating up her fiance in a five star hotel in Delhi. She has filed an FIR against the player Luke Pomersbach.

We are not responsible for the player’s behaviour in hotels! Let police decide. Its an individual behaviour of the player. IPL is not responsible. It didn’t happen in an IPL party” said IPL Chairman Rajeev Shukla about the woman’s allegation. The player has been arrested by the Delhi police.

Within days of a TV sting operation that implicated five players in spot-fixing, the IPL was hit by another furore during KKR’s match against Mumbai Indians on Wednesday night with one of its franchise owners in the spotlight.

The MCA officials have lodged a police complaint against Khan for his alleged misbehaviour at the stadium and decided to ban him for life from entering the premises.

“We have lodged a complaint against him at the Marine Drive Police station (for his alleged misbehaviour against MCA officials),” informed MCA secretary Nitin Dalal.

The Bollywood star had an altercation with the security and officials of the association after the Knight Riders had swamped Mumbai Indians, according to MCA treasurer Ravi Savant.

“He misbehaved and abused the MCA security personnel as well as MCA officials, including our president Vilasrao Deshmukh, after the IPL match (between KKR and Mumbai Indians). We have decided to ban him for life from entering the stadium in future,” said Savant, who alleged that the actor was in a totally inebriated state.

But there was confusion over whether the actor has actually been banned with IPL Chairman Rajiv Shukla saying a final decision on the matter would only be taken after getting the version of all the involved parties.

“I will take the version of the MCA, Shah Rukh Khan and the police before talking about the issue,” he told reporters in New Delhi.

Shah Rukh Khan’s Brawl Caught On Audio

“The decision on ban is taken by the Working Committee so I will speak to MCA President Vilasrao Deshmukh on this. I have to take the version of all the parties involved and then speak,” Shukla added.

Giving the background to what happened after the KKR’s 32-run rout of MI at the Wankhede stadium, Savant said Khan and his posse of bodyguards had gone up to the dressing room and then come down and started to step on to the ground.

“The MCA security personnel told them they cannot do so as the match was over which led to Shah Rukh abusing them as well as the MCA officials. There was manhandling too by his people. We have decided to ban him from all future matches at the stadium. We are also going to lodge a police complaint against him,” said Savant.

Savant also said that one of the members of the MCA’s managing committee who is also a top police official, Iqbal Sheikh, tried to intervene and pacify the actor but could not do so as he was in no mood to listen to anyone.

Asked whether MCA would lodge a complaint with the BCCI over one of the IPL team’s owner’s behaviour, Savant said all the altercation had taken place in the presence of IPL CEO Sundar Raman and BCCI’s media manager Devendra Prabhudesai.

“Of course we will lodge a complaint with the BCCI also,” said Savant.

Dalal said the MCA is scheduled to have a managing committee meeting next week and would discuss the scandal.

Meanwhile, BCCI Chief Administrative Officer Ratnakar Shetty was guarded in his take on the matter but conceded that the MCA officials are furious over an “unprovoked incident”.

“An unprovoked incident took place. I am in MCA and BCCI as well. We can speak only after getting complete information on this. Definitely the BCCI will look at whatever MCA has to say because we don’t know what actually transpired there. At this point it won’t be possible for the BCCI to comment,” he said.

On the ban on Khan, Shetty said, “I was not here so it won’t be right if I speak on this incident. The MCA officials were abused, I really don’t know the other details of what action has been taken by the MCA. Once the matter comes to BCCI, things will be looked into.

“Till the time we get a letter from MCA, we can’t comment on the basis of media reports. The MCA will have to tell us first,” he added.

Rekha on Tuesday brought some of the eighties’ charm to the Rajya Sabha, where she took the oath as an MP. On her first day, however, she had to share the limelight with fellow member Jaya Bachchan, who caught the attention of the House by plunging into a heated discussion started by the BJP. The issue – the plight of Indian workers stranded in the southern African country of Angola. Her unexpected display of parliamentary feistiness surprised other members, who quipped that it was perhaps due to Rekha’s debut.

Rekha was greeted with a thumping of desks when her name was called out. Her seat number was 99, right behind seat 91, where her “Silsila” co-star Jaya used to sit earlier. Rekha sat for part of the question hour session.

Jaya, a second-term MP from the Samajwadi Party, is known for her “active”, but quiet conduct. In fact, during her first term (2004-2010), she was almost never heard in any debate. “We can expect more such fireworks from the Samajwadi MP,” quipped a minister. Jaya, who arrived before Rekha, took the House by surprise when she joined BJP members in raising the issue of Indian workers in Angola. She compelled minister for overseas Indian affairs, K Vayalar Ravi, to give an assurance that he would seek details about the workers. This was perhaps the first time that Jaya, who returned to the House last month after a gap of two years, pushed herself into the parliamentary rough and tumble. Itni mehnat, eh?

Seat change? It’s Jaya’s Silsila: Amar
Reacting to reports that Jaya Bachchan had demanded a change in her seat in the Rajya Sabha after Rekha’s nomination, Rashtriya Lokmanch Party president Amar Singh said it was her own “silsila”. “I don’t want to say anything on why Jaya Bachchan changed her seat. It’s her own silsila, her own business, her own affair. I don’t have any comment to make on it,” Amar told reporters.

“Amitabh Bachchan is my friend and I have seen Rekha in his films. I congratulated her when I met her today. I don’t have any personal equation with her though,” he added. (Agencies)

Fellow mps not impressed?
We have seen far bigger legends, people far more glamorous – Hema Malini, Dharmendra, Rajesh Khanna – in Parliament
- Balbir Punj, BJP

Fewer MPs thumped their desks when she took her oath today. More people cheered for me when I took my oath
- Najma Heptulla, BJP

She is not as beautiful as Hema Malini. She says she is 57, but somehow looks much older
- Congress MP from West Bengal

Yes, Abhishek reveals how he has been shut out of the bedroom quite a few times in the last few months because of the baby’s sleep routine. “Aaradhya wakes up in the night for her feed and a nappy change. Ash, who’s completely clued in, is up in a jiffy. However, I must confess, it took time for me to get used to the new routine. When the baby cried, I woke up too, but couldn’t go back to sleep immediately. So Ash suggested that I sleep in another room till such time as Aaradhya was slightly older.”

Abhishek explains that his wife felt he should move out temporarily because he needed a good night’s sleep before he went for his shootings. “I can hardly come on set yawning,” he jokes. “Ash suggested that I should sleep separately whenever I have a shoot the next day.”

With a deadpan expression, AB Junior says that he is jealous that his wife has relegated him to the background. “Ash’s day starts and ends with the baby. Since she insists on doing everything for Aaradhya, including giving her a maalish (massage), bathing her and attending to her round-the-clock, I’m now waiting in queue for Ash’s attention.”

Abhishek also reveals that he is truly fortunate to have women surrounding him all the time. “At home I have my Nani (Indira Bhaduri), Mom, Shwetadi, Navya Naveli (my niece), Aishwarya and Aaradhya. I also have my chacha’s three daughters. I’m blessed to have so many women around me,” he says.