Amidst the cacophony of Indo-Pak tensions and the ensuing friction between a producers’ association in India and cinema owners of Pakistan, the situation is getting murkier by the day.

There are reports that either work done by Pakistani actors in the forthcoming Bollywood movies will be edited out or totally replaced by Indian actors.

However, on Oct 14, Ritesh Sidhwani, producer of the film Raees starring Shah Rukh Khan and our very own Mahira Khan, said he had already shot with the Pakistani actress for 45 days and finished the film.

On the rumours about replacing Mahira K, he said he was not reacting to them because responding to speculations means providing a ‘platform’ to such rumours.

Well, it is heartening to know his position on the matter, but we will have to see for how long he will withstand the pressures coming from right-wing Hindu extremist political parties such as the MNS.

Published in Dawn, Sunday Magazine, October 23rd, 2016