Maha to hold spl shows of 'Uri..' to mark Kargil Vijay Diwas

Maharashtra will commemorate the 'Kargil Vijay Diwas' on July 26 by organising special shows of Bollywood blockbuster "Uri-The Surgical Strike" at more than 500 screens across the state with an objective to "propagate nationalism".

The decision to hold the special shows was taken in a meeting held between owners of the cinema theatres and Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Wednesday, an official said.

The meeting was also attended by Sambhaji Patil Nilangekar who holds the Ex-Servicemen Welfare portfolio.

Patil Nilangekar has directed district collectors to hold a meeting between local cinema theatre operators and principals of junior and senior colleges to coordinate for organising the show in their respective areas.

"The idea is to propagate the spirit of nationalism. Youths must know the valour of our Army and Air Force which had played a crucial role in the 1999 Kargil war," said the official.

The screening will be held free of cost at 10 am across all the theatres.

The idea of organising the movie shows was mooted by Fadnavis and all the screen operators voluntarily agreed, according to the official who also clarified that the government has not pressurised any theatre owner or operator to play the movie free of cost.

Kargil Vijay Diwas, named after the successful Operation Vijay, is celebrated in memory of Indian soldiers successfully taking command of the high outposts captured by Pakistan during the 1999 war.