By Manissha Despaande, Bollywood Trade News Network

Following Aamir's refusal to tender an apology and mobs calling for a unanimous ban on the Aamir starrer, FANAA in Gujarat, distributors and exhibitors, are skeptical about the film finding its way into Gujarat theatres. "The possibility of the film being released in Gujarat seems very remote now, unless negotiations are held on a higher level. As of now, there is no question of any of the exhibitors going against the decision of the masses. The Narmada project is connected to the electricity and water needs of the people and it is the lifeline of Gujarat. Aamir has touched a very sensitive chord there. There is no way the masses will forgive him," says Gujarat distributor Mahesh Desai, a representative of leading Mumbai and Gujarat distributor, Rajesh Thadani.

According to Desai, traders in Gujarat were eagerly looking forward to the film to compensate for the losses they incurred in the past few months. "It was a Yashraj Film with the unique casting of Aamir Khan and Kajol. There are around 100 theatres in Gujarat and Saurashtra put together. With the business being down in the past few months, FANAA, was looked upon as a big bet at the box-office here," Desai reveals.

Moreover, according to him, Aamir was the most happening hero for the Gujarat audiences, who hailed his last two releases, RANG DE BASANTI and MANGAL PANDEY. "He was known as an actor with a soft heart who went out of his way to care for those affected in the massive earthquake that rocked Gujarat and Saurashtra, when he reached out to them post LAGAAN. However he has now become an anti-hero for them," he says.

Incidentally, this is the first time in the history of Gujarat that the release of a film has been stalled by the audiences due to their disapproval of the actor in it. According to a Gujarat based exhibitor, the Gujarat audiences are never known to target their ire against films but this issue had affected them deeply.