Indian film association passes resolution to ban Pakistani artistes, technicians in India

Pic Courtesy: Movie Still

Mumbai: The Indian Motion Pictures Producers' Association (IMPPA) on Friday announced it has decided to ban Pakistani artistes and technicians from working in India until the hostilities between the two countries subside.

Filmmaker Ashoke Pandit, Vice President, IMPPA issued an official statement, signed by IMPPA President T.P. Aggarwal, in this regard.

It read: "IMPPA at its Seventy Seventh Annual General Meeting on September 29, 2016 unanimously resolved to appeal all IMPPA members to henceforth in future not to work with any artistes, singers and technicians from Pakistan until the situation of hostilities between Pakistan and India subsides and the government of India declares that all is well with Pakistan and India.

"The resolution was passed by all members present in one voice and all IMPPA members are hereby requested to refrain working with Pakistani artistes, singers or technicians till further instructions." 

The decisions have come in the wake of the September 18 attack in Uri, Jammu and Kashmir, which killed 18 Indian soldiers. 

Pandit told IANS over phone on Thursday that this decision will be applicable for new projects

He said the IMPPA will in no way impede the release of any movies which are slated to hit the screens and feature Pakistani actors.

This resolution is the second such directive after the political party Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) gave an ultimatum to Pakistani artistes to leave India, and even threatened the release of films featuring Pakistani actors.

Among the films are Karan Johar's "Ae Dil Hai Mushkil", starring Pakistan's heartthrob Fawad Khan, and Shah Rukh Khan's "Raees", which will mark Mahira Khan's Bollywood foray.

Asked if IMPPA's resolution is motivated by the MNS in anyway, Pandit said: "It has nothing to do with politics. We are not going to trouble any filmmaker who has already worked with a Pakistani actor in a yet to be released film, but we are opposing any new projects with them."

Tensions between India and Pakistan have escalated since the September 18 terror strike on an army camp in Uri, Jammu and Kashmir. India has blamed the attack on Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed, which was also responsible for the January 2 Pathankot terror strike in which seven Indian security personnel were killed.

India on Thursday said its army had carried out "surgical strikes" on terrorist launch pads in Pakistani territory.