NEWS SCAN

Earlier this week, Karan Johar released a video statement declaring “for me, my country comes first. Nothing else matters but my country” and pledged that he will not use Pakistani artists in future projects.

However, the 45-year-old urged, his movie was shot much before tension between India and Pakistan escalated and that any attempts to boycott or blacklist it will affect the large team of people that worked on the movie. “I beseech you to know one thing – that over 300 Indian people in my crew have put their blood, sweat and tears in Ae Dil Hai Mushkil,” he said.

A section of cinema owners in four states have said they will not release Mr Johar’s movie because along with Ranbir Kapoor, Anushka Sharma and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, it features Pakistani actor Fawad Khan who appeared in earlier Hindi movies like Kapoor and Sons.Producers of the movie Ae Dil Hai Mushkil have promised not to work with Pakistani actors following a meeting with Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray today.

Ae Dil.. director and producer Karan Johar, producers’ guild president Mukesh Bhatt met Mr Fadnavis and Mr Thackeray, whose party is among outfits that had threatened to vandalise cinemas and block the film, which stars Pakistani actor Fawad Khan.Sections of Bollywood have said that given the attacks in India by Pakistani terrorists that have killed soldiers, Pakistani artistes should be banned from working in the film industry.

As carried in NDTV on 22.10.16