Cineplex cancels Indian movies after drive-by shooting at theater

Cineplex to remove 2024 South Indian film ‘Malaikottai Vallivan’ Following a series of drive-by shootings It was shown in various GTA and Toronto theaters on its premiere date.

On Tuesday, York Regional Police said officers were called to a movie theater in the Highway District on Jan. 24. At East Beaver Creek in Richmond Hill, employees arrived for work and found their windows shot out.

On the same day, police responded to a similar call at a movie theater in the Highway area. 7 and Weston Road in Vaughan.

Multiple suspects are believed to be involved in both the York Region shooting and similar shootings at movie theaters in Scarborough and Brampton the same night. The incident appears to have been targeted, police said, adding there were no reports of injuries and the movie theater was closed at the time of the shooting.

The violence is currently being linked to a turf war with groups seeking to block the screening of various South Indian films in favor of other films.

Michelle Saba, Cineplex’s vice president of communications, said in an email to CityNews680 that theaters are canceling screenings of the movie Malaikottai Vaarivan “due to circumstances beyond our control.” Admitted.

“Regarding the incident at our theater, we are working closely with local authorities who are leading this investigation, but we are unable to share any further details at this time,” Saba said. .

Jeff Knoll, owner of Film.Ca Cinemas in Oakville, told CityNews680 that he has no intention of canceling movie screenings.

“There’s an audience that wants to see this movie,” Noll said. “We’re not going to be bullied into pulling the movie. We’re going to do what we want to do.”

Knoll said he doesn’t expect any problems because of the critical security presence at Oakville movie theaters. Film distributors, meanwhile, believe the recent drive-by shootings were business-related, with many competing interests in the lucrative South Asian film distribution industry.

“Since the pandemic, we have already been forced out of the box office. The film industry has not recovered. My business and all movie theaters are struggling and hanging by a single thread. This is what we needed most.”

In addition to Film.Ca Cinemas, TIFF Bell Lightbox also has current screening times for Malaikottai Vaalivan.