ADHM row: Won’t work with Pak artistes in future, says Mukesh Bhatt

Mumbai: After meeting Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis over the release of upcoming flick ‘Ae Dil Hai Mushkil’, the president of the Film and Television Producers Guild of India, Mukesh Bhatt, on Saturday said that the body will pass a resolution stating that they will not work with Pakistani actors in future.

“I assured the Chief Minister that the Producer’s Guild has decided that we will not work with Pakistani artists in the future, it is a resolution and we will pass this resolution,” said Mukesh Bhatt after the meeting.

Bhatt said that keeping the sentiments of the nation first, director Karan Johar has also said that he will run a slate before the movie starts to honours the martyrs.

“Karan Johar and other producers have offered to contribute to the army welfare fund to the defence ministry as a small humble contribution to the best of the capability, irrespective of the picture runs or doesn’t run,” he said.

Karan Johar and Dharma productions upcoming flick ‘Ae Dil Hai Mushkil’ has been surrounded with controversies which has received threat from the MNS over featuring Pakistani actor Fawad Khan.

On October 20, the Film and Television Producers Guild of India member met Rajnath Singh, concerning the release of the movie after which filmmaker Mukesh Bhatt said that the government has assured them to provide security to the exhibitor featuring the movie and will try to maintain law and order.

The movie is scheduled to be released on October 28.

After situation between India and Pakistan worsened, many political parties and that Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) have been demanding a ban on KJo’s film that also stars Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Ranbir Kapoor and Anushka Sharma.

In an emotional video statement, Johar earlier on Tuesday expressed a “deep sense of hurt and pain” by the charge of being anti-national.

“I condemn terror in the strongest terms, I respect our Army, for me, the country comes first,” the 44-year-old said.

“The reason why I remained silent is because of a deep sense of pain,” he added.

Johar, who made his directorial debut with the blockbuster romance Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, further said: “The best way to express your patriotism is to spread love and thats all I have ever tried to do through my work and cinema.

ANI