Amid escalating tensions between New Delhi and Islamabad over the Uri terrorist attack, the Raj Thackeray-led Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) on Friday asked all Pakistani artistes and performers to leave the country within 48 hours.
Apart from issuing a “leave India” diktat to Pakistani artistes and performers currently in the metropolis, the MNS also threatened to stall the release of films starring the actors from the neighbouring country.
Given the politics of intimidation practised by it, the diktat meant trouble for filmmaker Karan Johar and Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan since Pakistan’s Fawad Khan has acted in Karan Johar's forthcoming venture Ae Dil Hai Mushkil and another Pakistani artiste Mahira Khan plays a key role in SRK’s Raees.
In a curt advisory to the Pakistani artistes staying currently in the city, MNS’ Chitrapat Sena President Amey Khopkar said: “We are asking all Pakistani artistes who are currently in Mumbai either for shooting or for some shows to pack their bags and leave the country within 48 hours. Our advice is meant not for actors but also Pakistani singers and sportspersons. If they fail to leave the country within our stipulated deadline, the MNS will make them flee the country in typical MNS style”.
In an elaboration, MNS Vice President and spokesperson Dr Vageesh Saraswat said: “We will visit the places where the Pakistani artistes are shooting and chase them out of the sets”.
“We will also not allow such films and TV serials to be released. We won't allow filmmakers to make films with Pak artists. Our stand is that Indian filmmakers must not take Pakistani artistes in their movies,” MNS Vice President Shalini Thackeray said.
If the prevailing mood within the MNS is anything to go by, Karan Johar's Ae Dil Hai Mushkil, in which Pakistan actor Fawad Khan co-stars with Ranbir Kapoor, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and Anushka Sharma, will run into trouble ahead of its release slated for October 28.
If the anti-Pakistan mood were to prolong in the country, Raees — starring Shah Rukh Khan, Nawazuddin Siddiqui and Pakistani actor Mahira Khan–may have face similar problems ahead of its release on January 26.