In the wake of the terror attack in Jammu & Kashmir’s Pulwama that claimed the lives of 49 CRPF troopers last week, the All Indian Cine Workers Association issued a statement on February 18, announcing a “total ban” on Pakistani actors and artistes working in the Hindi film industry. The notice was issued by Ronak Suresh Jain, General Secretary of AICWA, who condemned the “brutal” terror attack and also conveyed condolences to the families of the victims.
“All Indian Cine Workers Association strongly condemns brutal terrorist attack on our soldiers at Pulwama district in Jammu and Kashmir. Our heartfelt condolences to the families of the victims. AICWA stands with nation in confronting such terror and inhumanity,” the statement read.
SRK and Mahira Khan in a still from Raees.
Action will be taken against organisations that insist upon working with Pakistani actors and artistes despite the ban. “We're officially announcing a total ban on Pakistani Actors and Artists working in Film Industry. Still if any organisation insist on working with Pakistani Artists will be banned by AICWA and a strong action will be taken against them. Nation comes first, we stand with our nation,” the statement said.
Read the statement here:
Statement issued by AICWA
Several Pakistani artistes including Fawad Khan, Mahira Khan, Rahat Fateh Ali Khan and Atif Aslam, have worked in the Hindi film industry. While Mahira made her debut in Bollywood with Shah Rukh Khan’s Raees in 2017, Fawad appeared in Khoobsurat, Kapoor & Sons and Ae Dil Hai Mushkil. Rahat Fateh Ali Khan and Atif frequently provide vocals to Hindi songs in Bollywood.
File photo of Atif Aslam
In the worst ever terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir since militancy erupted in 1989, a Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) suicide bomber on February 14 rammed his vehicle packed with explosives into a CRPF bus on the Jammu-Srinagar highway in Pulwama district. The attack, much like the one in Uri in 2016, has impacted cultural ties between the two nations.
