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Banning artistes from Pakistan is not a solution: Karan Johar

Banning artistes from Pakistan is not a solution: Karan Johar

The filmmaker finally broke his silence about MNS's threats to Fawad and other Pakistani artistes
26 Sep, 2016

Indian filmmaker Karan Johar has said, following the attack on the Indian army in Uri, that boycotting artistes from Pakistan is not a solution to terrorism

The Bollywood director said his heart bleeds for the lives lost in the Uri attack and he understands the anger in the country, but it does not make any sense linking it with artistes coming from the neighbouring country, reported The Times of India.

Johar's comment comes after threats from the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) to Pakistani artistes which demanded them to leave India, or they will be forced to leave.

"I understand the anger and the anguish that surrounds us and I empathise, my heart bleeds for the lost lives. There is nothing that can justify this terrible feeling of terror. Then you are faced in a situation such as this (asking for ban on Pakistani artistes). If this was truly a solution, one would take it," the director asserted.

"But this is not a solution. I don't believe it is. The larger forces have to come together and sort the situation and this cannot be banning talent or art."

The 44-year-old filmmaker also said he feels 'vulnerable' while speaking about it publicly.

"I feel vulnerable and scared while even saying this. I completely feel the pain and anger. If my film is targeted because of this, it will make me exceptionally sad because my intent was to put out a product out of love and nothing else."

Johar requested the people to look at the issue holistically and understand the situation. He also said that the situation needs to be looked at from a larger perspective, and an answer needs to be found.

"I am not somebody who can find the answer. I am nobody in that scheme of things. I am just a filmmaker, telling a love story. Today I feel, I am a vulnerable soft target. I have faced it, felt the repercussions of it in the past and I have constantly combated that," added the film director.

"I think we should not be those soft targets anymore. We don't matter in the scheme of things but we can make things happier and better," he said.

Earlier, Indian nationalist party Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) gave a "direct threat" to Bollywood stars Shah Rukh Khan and Karan Johar for casting Pakistani actors in their films.

Shalini Thackeray, general secretary of MNS Chitrapat Karamchari Sena, had said, “It is not a veiled threat. It’s a direct threat to producers like SRK and Karan Johar who take Pakistani actors in their movies."

Referring specifically to Shah Rukh Khan's upcoming film Raees alongside Mahira Khan and Karan Johar's Ae Dil Hai Mushkil with cameo's of Fawad Khan and Imran Abbas, Thackeray plans to cease the release of these films in India.

Comments

Tariq Rashid Sep 26, 2016 11:32am
I like him even more from now onwards for presenting clear and open unbiased thinking... great personality.. way to go sir...
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Khan of India Sep 26, 2016 12:11pm
The only thing He is trying to do is saving his money by saving his film from boycott....he or other dont have any thing to do with Natioan...we know Art should be kept aside from this..but i will boycott this as well as rahees .....
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Kartikay Ungrish Sep 26, 2016 02:19pm
@Khan of India Proud of you brother...that's like true Indian...
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Jigar Sep 27, 2016 12:42am
Karan should move to pakistan. There he can work with the best actors in the world and make better movies.
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Pandit Sep 27, 2016 04:20am
Sure, it is not a solution Mr. Johar. No one is looking at this logical policy as a solution to Kashmir problem. How could you even think so? Over-intellectual? The problem is with your so-called intellectual mind-set which is unable to see that in a foreign country, artists represent the country from where they belong. If they are from enemy country, sorry the artists are enemy too, not personally but by extended relation.
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Robin India Sep 27, 2016 08:13am
karan is a worst director in india..but pak artist can do better in their own country..we dont have to import actors
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Yuvaraj Sep 27, 2016 10:11am
Purely a business man
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aslam shaikh Sep 27, 2016 04:37pm
What do you mean not a solution! You should have rejected it altogether!
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