Pakistanis and Indians share more than just the colour of their skins: Adnan Siddiqui

Adnan Siddiqui is one of the most prominent faces in the local entertainment industry and since his Bollywood debut, he's made quite an impression across the border too.

In an interview with IANS, the actor shared his film Mom's response in his hometown and the political relation between India and Pakistan.

"A good product is well-received everywhere. People here in Pakistan have loved the film and are ecstatic about the collaboration between the two nations," he shared.

However, just like Mahira and Fawad couldn't promote their Bolly films Raees and Ae Dil Hai Mushkil, respectively, Adnan Siddiqui and Sajal Aly, too found themselves unable to promote their film.

"Obviously it is a sad feeling when you are not able to promote a project you have spent tiring days and nights working on. But then you are relieved that the promotion lies in more than capable hands, for the likes of Sridevi and Nawaazuddin Siddiqui and Akshaye Khanna."

And he agreed that this divide hurts sentiments on both sides of the border: "I wouldn’t go as far as saying there’s resentment to this situation. But I would agree it is hurting the relations between artists of both the countries. The politics may steer a situation in any direction but the people of both countries love and respect art for what it is. They don’t see passports when they purchase a ticket, they see a film."

Adnan believes, like many artistes, that art can bring about peace between India and Pakistan.

"No matter how hard people try, our cultural ties will come out strong. We share more than just the colour of our skins, we share history, we share values, we share customs and it is just a matter of time we will start sharing our artists, directors, writers, technicians on a large scale too. I honestly believe we can find peace in art."

He added, "People of the both countries are smart enough not get themselves into politically incorrect situations. My production of Seeta Bagri was extremely well perceived and people in Pakistan supported its message of tolerance and brotherhood."

Regardless of the political tensions between the two countries, the actor credits Mom producer Boney Kapoor with breaking the hurdles.

Once I got the offer, I couldn’t resist myself from saying yes since I knew I would be playing a role against Sridevi and I was also aware that Sajal Aly from Pakistan, who is a beautiful actress, is part of the cast. The political hostility as you say did create hurdles for the film. However, it was Boney Kapoor Saab who became the leader and crisis-breaker, sorted out the production issues and took us all home for a win.

He also spoke about the local entertainment industry and how it's in the growing stages, "The New Cinema, as I like to call it, is a growing baby. There are a lot of players with growing ambitions, hence it is creating opportunities all across the board which is a beautiful sight. However, since it is an evolving industry, we will need time to eradicate the mistakes and enhance the strengths."