Summary Mukesha Bhatt said India will not work with Pakistani artists in the future.
MUMBAI (Web Desk / AFP) – In a move to save prominent Bollywood director Karan Johar from financial loss, Indian extremists have decided not to oppose the release of Ae Dil Hai Mushkil, which features Pakistani actor Fawad Khan.
The decision was taken after Filmmaker Mukesh Bhatt, President of the Film and Television Producers Guild of India Ltd, assured Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis that the body will not work with Pakistani artists in the future.
After this assurance, the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena led by Raj Thackeray has called off protests and decided not oppose the release of the film.
"We had a very constructive meeting. I assured Fadnavis that the Producer s Guild has taken a decision in the larger interest of the sentiments of the people and the soldiers and the entire country that we will not work with Pakistani artists in the future," Mukesh Bhatt said.
Film Ae Dil Hai Mushkil featuring Ranbir Kapoor, Aishwarya, Anushka Sharma and Fawad Khan is expected to release on October 28.
Earlier this month, India s Cinema Owners and Exhibitors Association (COEA) said it would not show any films featuring Pakistani artists at single screen cinemas across four states.
The ban will also likely affect two movies starring Bollywood icon Shah Rukh Khan -- "Dear Zindagi" ("Dear Life"), out next month, and "Raees" ("Wealthy"), which is due for release in January.
Tensions between India and Pakistan have soared since grenade-hurling militants raided India s Uri army base near the de-facto border dividing Kashmir on September 18 in the worst such attack for years.
India pointed the finger of blame at militants in Pakistan and responded by carrying out strikes across the heavily-militarised Line of Control, although Islamabad disputes they ever took place.
Following the September raid, the Indian Motion Picture Producers Association, which represents a number of Hindi film industry employees, passed a motion banning Pakistani artists until relations improve.
Pakistan s Film Exhibitors and Distributors group responded by suspending the screening of all Indian films "until normalcy returns", although fans are believed to be accessing their favourite Bollywood flicks online.
On Monday, organisers of the MAMI Mumbai Film Festival dropped classic 1959 Pakistani movie "Jago Hua Savera" ("The Day Shall Dawn") from its programme following a complaint from an Indian NGO.
Then on Wednesday Pakistan s state-run media authority PEMRA fired another salvo, banning all Indian content from television and radio networks. It threatened to suspend the licences of any station caught flouting the ban, which came into force Friday.
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