While the jury is still out on whether it’s the right send-off to an otherwise iconic franchise, it seems that The Conjuring: Last Rites is definitely evoking some kind of emotions within its viewers. During a screening of the film in Pune, at the Elpro Mall in Chinchwad, a fight broke out between two couples. The argument preceding the fight apparently started because one of the two couples was talking way too loudly while the film was playing, leading the other couple to object.
According to the Free Press Journal, Abhishek Despande had gone to see the film along with his wife and sister. As the film started, loud narration from the row behind started disturbing the three, and the source of this disturbance was Aaquib Javed Nisar Patel, who was narrating the whole film to his wife, and that too rather loudly. Abhishek reportedly confronted him and said, “Don’t give spoilers to me; please be quiet.” This request seemed unnecessary to Patel, and the two men started fighting. During the scuffle, Abhishek lost his balance and fell down, fracturing his arm. According to the report, Abhishek was also kicked by Patel on his hand and stomach.
While Patel had also been slightly injured in the fight, Abhishek’s injuries forced the authorities to file a criminal case against Patel. Abhishek has also been booked with an NC offence (non-cognisable). When Abhishek’s wife intervened, Patel’s wife entered the equation and assaulted her. Patel and his wife have been booked under BNS Sections 117 (voluntarily causing grievous hurt), 115 (voluntarily causing hurt), 352 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of peace), and 3(5) (acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention).
Ankush Bangar, the Senior Inspector in charge of the Chinchwad Police Station said in a statement, “The fight happened when the duo was watching the movie in Elpro Mall. The complainant, Deshpande, was injured in this. Counter cases have been filed, but as the person named Deshpande was seriously injured, we filed a criminal case against Patel, while Deshpande was booked under the NC offence.”
On the other hand, the film is doing quite well on the Indian box office, having already crossed the Rs 60 crore mark, while competing with films like Baaghi 4, Lokah Chapter 1, and The Bengal Files. Directed by Michael Chaves, the cast of the film includes Patrick Wilson, Vera Farmiga, Mia Tomlinson, and Steve Coulter.
