Sahara chief bans Morani bros for insult to AB

The Amar Singh-Amitabh Bachchan fracas with the Morani brothers at the the Zee Cine Awards function in Dubai last Thursday, has evoked a strong reaction from the Sahara Group. Chairman Subrata Roy, on Tuesday announced that Sahara would no longer do any business with the Moranis, who were their event organisers for several Bollywood related events in the past.
In fact, an International Bharat Parv Yatra project scheduled to be held later this year, costing Rs 100 crores, has been immediately taken off the Moranis'' hands.
"Anybody who gives such nasty treatment to an icon like Amitabh Bachchan and a man of the stature of Amar Singh does not deserve to get the respect and support in any way from the Sahara Group," Subrata Roy was quoted as saying by highly placed officials in his office.
Others at Sahara confirmed the ban and supported their Chairman''s view. "How can anybody place Mr Bachchan in the 11th row at a Bollywood awards function?" they asked. "Such an insult should not be tolerated."
These officials, however, declined to comment on Sahara''s stand on Shah Rukh Khan, who had reportedly intervened on behalf of the Moranis at the Dubai event and tried to sort matters out between Singh and the event managers.
jamal.shaikh@timesgroup.com