Pakistani artistes are not terrorists: Salman Khan

Pitching for peace, Bollywood’s mega star Salman Khan said a distinction must be made between terrorists and Pakistani artistes who have been allowed by the government to work in India, reports NDTV.  

Amid a raging debate and public anger after Pakistani terrorists attacked an army base in Kashmir's Uri killing 18 soldiers, a film producers' association on Thursday said it was banning Pakistani actors like the popular Fawad Khan and other artistes from working in India "until the situation of hostilities between Pakistan and India subsides and the government of India declares that all is well with Pakistan."

Although Salman Khan has described the surgical strikes carried out by the Indian Army against the Pakistani terrorists across the Line of Control on Wednesday night as “proper action”, he has also stressed upon the maintenance of peace saying, “"The ideal situation would be peace and harmony".

Mapping the perspective between the terrorists and the artists Salman said "Those were terrorists, these are artistes. Two different issues." According to the report of NDTV, when asked to elaborate, Khan said, "Are these artistes terrorists? They come here on a visa, who gives them that visa? Our government gives them visas."  

Other prominent Bollywood personalities like Karan Johar have earlier spoken against banning Pakistani artistes. He told NDTV earlier this week that he understands and shares the anguish of people after the Uri attack, but banning talent from Pakistan was not the solution.

Johar, whose soon to release film Ae Dil Hai Mushkil stars Fawad Khan, said, "Today I feel I am a vulnerable, soft target... sometimes you want to, with folded hands, say that we are a creative industry, please leave us alone, we make movies, we spread love."   

The Maharashtra Narvnirman Sena (MNS) of politician Raj Thackeray has said it will disrupt the screening of the new Karan Johar film and also Shah Rukh Khan's Raees, which is the Bollywood debut of Pakistani actress Mahira Khan, reports NDTV.

The Indian Motion Pictures Producers' Association (IMPPA) said its ban would apply to new projects but that it would not stall films that feature Pakistani artistes and are ready for release.

Source: NDTV