notice to fun cinemas and mittal mega mall multiplex four years ago for playing the anthem before a movie finding it a violation of prevention of insults to national honour act 1971 laid down to ensure respect to the national anthem the then deputy commissioner was quoted as saying playing the national anthem inside the multiplex violated the rules of singing and playing of national anthem and the multiplexes were asked to discontinue the practicepeople do not stand delhi cinemas may not play the anthem but they do not have control over the films content and when the national anthem is part of a film they have to screen it but unlike the new jersey idol contest scene from loins of punjab cinemas say delhiites usually do not stand when the national anthem is being played though they say that viewers are not asked to leave on that ground rajesh an usher at a cinema hall in west delhi says sometimes during a movie a mandatory request for people to stand up for the national anthem shows up on screen while some people groan and stand up slowly most stand after checking whether the person next to them stood up or not we cant enforce it but whenever the national anthem is played at the end of a film 3040 of the audience often walk out even if its a matter of few minutes kinshuk a staff member at a cinema hall in noida adds if you ask us the anthem shouldnt be played while there are people who sing along others not only refuse to stand but keep eating or are busy checking their phones shailesh kumar who works in a cinema hall in cp tells us you need the right environment to play the anthem those who come to watch a movie are not in the mood to spend time listening to the anthem if people dont stand and respect the anthem theres no point in playing it he adds i remember during mary kom when the national anthem was played people started criticizing the film director for including it in the film his colleague says log gaaliyaan dene lagte hain ki national anthem bajaane ki kya zarurat thi film dekhne aaya hoon ya parliament meinmultiplex patriotism needed cinemas refuse to take an official stand on whether a person should stand or not they say its up to each individual tinku singh group president and chief strategy officer srs cinemas says asking people to stand for the national anthem in cinema halls needs to be discouraged cinema halls cant ask their guests to stand up when we play the anthem in our cinemas we switch on half the lights and the manager and staff stand in attention to indicate that everyone is supposed to stand last october preity zinta while watching bang bang in a mumbai theatre had reportedly asked a man to leave the hall as he refused to stand during the national anthem speaking about