Udta Punjab, the movie in the eye of a storm over censorship issues, drew a rather cold response in the city on the day of its release.

Many people who saw the film said an overdose of expletives in the movie didn't let them enjoy it.

Slotted for 21 shows in Patna, the footfall on the opening day was low, reflecting low interest.

Stepping out of Regent Fun Cinemas, Amit Arora, on an official trip to Patna from Delhi, said: "You cannot watch the film with family members. The language of the film is really filthy. It is not at all a great film."

Ahead of its release, the movie hit the headlines twice - first over the censorship issue and second, when 40 minutes of Udta Punjab was leaked online and made available for download on illegal websites where pirated versions of films are put up.

Later, an executive of the production company accused the censor board of trying to sabotage the film two days before its release. The maker of Udta Punjab has submitted a copy to the censor board.

Another resident, who watched the film with friend Sameer Suman, a third-year student of NIT-Patna, said: "I liked the film and you can watch it once but the filmmakers could have avoided the extra use of cuss words."

Udta Punjab, which focuses on the drug menace in Punjab, has been in the news for several days after filmmakers took on the Pahlaj Nihalani-led Central Board of Film Certification over 94 cuts, including reference to Punjab and several other scenes, suggested by a revising committee under him.

The movie has Shahid Kapoor, Alia Bhatt, Kareena Kapoor and Diljit Dosanjh as actors.

Directed by Abhishek Choubey and produced by Balaji Motion Pictures and Anurag Kashyap's Phantom Films, it made a business of Rs 6.7 lakh on it first day owing to less footfall.

Expressing his disappointment at the low footfall, Suman Kumar Sinha, the chairman-cum-managing director of Regent Theatre Private Limited, said: "As a theatre owner, I do not have any other option other than running the film. It is the audience who decide the fate of any film. The filmmakers should understand that you cannot offer anything to the audience in the name of creativity."

Apart from Regent Fun Cinemas, the film is running in Cinepolis, Mona and Sushil Plaza in Patna.