Bollywood actor Nawazuddin Siddiqui is feeling happy that his film Freaky Ali has been released in Pakistan. Movie houses in Pakistan recently began screening Indian films, over two months after film exhibitors and theatre owners suspended them amidst Indo-Pak tensions following Uri terror attack and cross-border firing incidents.
Freaky Ali, a romantic comedy of Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Arbaaz Khan and Amy Jackson, which was released in September, is the first film being screened in the Pakistani cinemas after the film exhibitors and cinema owners lifted the self-imposed suspension on Indian movies’ screening.
When asked about it, Nawazuddin told reporters here that, “it’s happy news that the film is releasing there. Our collection will increase, so it’s good.”
The actor was speaking at a special party hosted to celebrate the many accolades of Aligarh, including Manoj Bajpayee’s ‘Best performance award’ at 10th Asia Pacific Screen Awards (APSA).
At the award show held recently, Nawazuddin received a Special Mention in the Best Performance category for his role in Anurag Kashyap’s “Raman Raghav 2.0.” The 42-year-old actor says there are some films which get tremendous acclaim at international awards but are not able to do that well commercially, and feels it is something which will change with time.
“There are certain films which get a lot of acclaim outside, including ‘Raman Raghav 2.0’ which got me an award too. So some films are appreciated a lot outside but unfortunately here (it may not work). But it’ll happen, it will take time,” he said.
Nawazuddin will be next seen in Shah Rukh Khan-starrer Raees, scheduled to release in January next year.
Other Bollywood stars such as Kajol and Priyanka, were extremely pleased that the self-imposed ban has been lifted.
In a statement, former Miss World said, “Art should go across the world. I have always believed that. So, I am glad about it.”
Kajol also lauded the step saying, “Anything where the film industry gets a brick, where the film industry gets a positive sign, etc., I am all for the film industry.”
The cinema owners in Pakistan had previously decided not to screen any Indian movies until tensions between two countries ease out. The decision came after the Indian Motion Picture Producers Association (IMPPA) banned all Pakistani artists from working in film projects in India.