HYDERABAD: Disappointment and disbelief raged in and across cinema halls and movie buffs in the twin cities after news of the ban slapped on `The Da Vinci Code' trickled in on Thursday evening.

"Jesus! Don't tell me!" was the reaction of one theatre owner where the controversial film was to be released in less than 24 hours.

"I don't believe this. How can they do that when the Censor Board has cleared it with the disclaimer, A-Certificate and all that?" seethed one.

"How do we now manage the fury of all those who had advance booked their tickets?" cried another.

"What will happen to our tickets?" asked a group of mediapersons who were supposed to view the movie at Prasad's (Seats J-15 to J-17).

Movies that `hurt'

The announcement of the Andhra Pradesh Government's decision for a blanket ban on movies that `hurt' the religious sentiments of people, which came hours before the film was to be released in the city, was literally a bolt from the blue.

According to an official at Prasad's, the multiplex had registered a house-full advance booking for the movie till Tuesday.

However, with the ban announcement, the entire plan both of the theatre management and that of those who were to watch it lay shattered.

Theatre owners sore

"We had bookings for the first three days. Since the distributor also informed us that the movie is not being released, we will return the money to the customers," Sangeet 70mm general manager S. Mohan Kumar said.

`The Da Vinci Code', even while it was released in other cities including New Delhi and Mumbai on May 26, had a delayed schedule for viewers in the twin cities.

Eight theatres were to screen the movie here, of which Venkatramana (Kacheguda), Santosh (Abids) and Venkatadri (Dilsukhnagar) were to show Hindi versions.

The other theatres were Prasad's, PVR Cinemas, Anand, Skyline and Sangeet.

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