Indian film association member resigns after ban on Pakistani artistes

Rising tensions between India and Pakistan and a subsequent ban on Pakistani talent working in India has led a member of an Indian film association to resign.

On Thursday, the Indian Motion Picture Producers Association (IMPPA) passed a resolution during the annual general meeting of the association that "till the situation is OK between the Pakistani and Indian governments, we will not hire any Pakistani artist, technician or singer."

In light of this, Rahul Aggarwal, a member of the Indian film association, posted a letter of resignation on Facebook stating "fundamental terrorism" between the two countries as the root cause. He cited that "art is above politics and as the custodians of this art; it is our responsibility to bring people together rather than divide them."

Furthermore, he added that the two countries need to come together to promote peace and not war as we are "one and alike".

He wrote, "Banning one another is not the solution, rather bringing everyone together and showing the world that terrorism cannot divide these two great nations can become a beacon for acceptance and hope, two characteristics that are the complete opposites of the fundamentalists that want us to go to war with one another."

In the end he noted that since the governing body did not recognise his voice he felt it as a "personal failure" and thus "useless" to the association.

Read the full letter here:

Of late, India and Pakistan have been on a banning spree. As India boycotts Pakistani talent across the border, Pakistani, too, has returned the favour by banning all Indian films in local cinemas. Celebrities on both sides of the border, however, are divided over the issue.