‘Stay away’, says Aadesh

Music director Aadesh Shrivastava, has lashed out against the trend of Pakistani artists coming to India and trying to be a part of the Indian music industry.

Music director Aadesh Shrivastava, who is also the senior vice president of Cinema Music Director Association (CMDA), has lashed out against the trend of Pakistani artists coming to India and trying to be a part of the Indian music industry.

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“It is not at all a matter of discrimination on country or religious lines. We have got enormous music talents and there is no need to peep in the neighbouring country (Pakistan) for artistes,” Shrivastava said, in a PTI interview, on Sunday.

He added that while he is a big fan of Pakistani singers such as Ghulam Ali, but he nurses a grudge against them for not reacting to the 26/11 terror attacks in Mumbai. “I am saddened that no Pakistani artiste reacted to the dastardly attacks in Mumbai and I can’t forget this thing,” he said.

Playback Singer Abhijeet Bhattacharya, who has spoken out against Pakistani artists in the past, has come out in support Shrivastava wholeheartedly. “India is entertaining people who are just taking from you without giving anything back. They (Pakistan) have never promoted our Indian singers. Even Shah Rukh Khan, who is doing so much in India, Pakistan ki films mein jaa ke barbaad ho jayega — wahan pe infrastructure hi nahi hai,” said Bhattacharya.

However, there are others who don’t necessarily feel the same way. Music composer Pritam Chakraborty says, “I’ve worked with artists from Pakistan in the past. For me, they’re singers and not Pakistanis or Indians.”