MUMBAI: A group of Indian cinemas said on Friday they would not screen any films featuring Pakistani artists.
“It doesn’t matter if they are Pakistani artists, Pakistani music directors or Pakistani directors. From now on we will not release their films,” said Nitin Datar, chairman of India’s Cinema Owners and Exhibitors Association (COEA).
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.
Mumbai-based film trade analyst Akshaye Rathi said that he expected the ban to affect between 300 and 350 movie theatres. The move comes as Hindu nationalist groups pile pressure on the makers of upcoming release “Ae Dil Hai Mushkil” to drop a Pakistani artist from the romantic drama.
The Karan Johar-directed movie — which stars Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and Ranbir Kapoor — also features Pakistani artist Fawad Khan.
Following a militant attack in India-held Kashmir, the noisy right-wing group Maharashtra Navnirman Sena called for a ban on Pakistani artists in Indian films. It also threatened to stall the October 28 release of “Ae Dil Hai Mushkil”.
The Indian Motion Picture Producers Association, which represents a number of Hindi film industry employees, last month passed a motion banning Pakistani artists until relations between India and Pakistan improve.
Published in Dawn, October 15th, 2016
