The Cinema Owners Association, after a meeting on October 14, has decided not to screen any film starring Pakistani artistes including Karan Johar’s Ae Dil Hai Mushkil. This applies to single-screen theatres, according to a report in The Indian Express.
Nitin Datar of Cinema Owners Association said after the meeting, “We have decided that we will not screen these films (with Pakistani actors).” The exhibitors association has told all members not to release Ae Dil Hai Mushkil as the sentiment in India is against Pakistani actors.
Ae Dil Hai Mushkil stars Pakistani star Fawad Khan in a pivotal role and will be the first such film to hit the theatres after the escalated tension between the two countries in the aftermath of Uri attack.
Earlier, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena had threatened to block the release of Ae Dil Hai Mushkil in Maharashtra. Later, the Indian Motion Pictures Producers Association (IMPPA) announced a ban on Pakistani actors but had requested MNS for a smooth release of films that have already been finished. Other than Ae Dil Hai Mushkil, films which will be hit by this ban include Shah Rukh Khan’s Raees starring Mahira Khan as well as Dear Zindagi which has Ali Zafar.
There was speculation that Karan Johar may replace Fawad in his film starringRanbir Kapoor, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and Anushka Sharma but a source in Dharma, his production house, confirmed to indianexpress.com on Thursday that the actor would not be dropped. The film has been passed by censor board already. It will release on October 28.
