Cinema owners’ body bans films with Pak actors

NEW DELHI/MUMBAI: An umbrella body of single-screen cinema owners said on Friday it will stop screening films with Pakistani artistes as political tensions threatened

NEW DELHI/MUMBAI: An umbrella body of single-screen cinema owners said on Friday it will stop screening films with Pakistani artistes as political tensions threatened to sever Bollywood’s links with the neighbouring country. The decision could mean trouble for an upcoming Karan Johar movie that stars Fawad Khan, a popular Pakistani actor.

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The Cinema Owners and Exhibitors Association said its decision not to screen any movie with Pakistani artistes, directors or technicians was in response to worsening ties with the neighbouring country after an attack on an army base in Kashmir by suspected Pakistan-based militants killed 19 soldiers.

The attack had sparked a nationwide clamour for a military response by India. Days later, the Indian government announced that its army had carried out surgical strikes across the de-facto border with Pakistan and destroyed several militant launch pads.

“We are respecting the overall sentiments voiced by Indians who are against screening of films featuring Pakistani artistes, musicians and technicians,” said Nitin Datar, president of the association.

Ae Dil Hai Mushkil, a highly-anticipated movie also starring Ranbir Kapoor, Aishwarya Rai, and Anushka Sharma, was slated for a Diwali release. A trade analyst said the ban could result in a loss of Rs 5-6 crore.

The ban applies to single-screen cinemas in four states — Maharashtra, Gujarat, Goa and Karnataka — and not big multiplexes, which tend to be frequented by India’s more affluent.

Amid the controversy, a home ministry official said the Centre had “no proposal to revoke the visa(s) granted to Pakistani artistes working in India”.