MNS allows Bollywood to do business after `5cr Pak tax
‘PENANCE’ Producers to pay for army welfare, never cast actors from Pakistan
MUMBAI: Karan Johar’s Ae Dil Hai Mushkil will release on schedule next week after Bollywood producers agreed not to hire Pakistani artistes in future, giving in to Maharashtra’s mercurial politician Raj Thackeray who had threatened to block the film.
The producers also agreed that under-production films featuring Pakistani actors will pay `5 crore to an army welfare fund as “penance”. This could apply to Shah Rukh Khan-starrers Raees and Dear Zindagi.
The producers also agreed to include a tribute to Indian soldiers at the start of Johar’s film, which stars Pakistani actor Fawad Khan. But the so-called compromise triggered outrage on social media with many describing Thackeray’s monetary condition as “extortion”.
Peace was bought on Saturday morning after a meeting involving Thackeray, Johar and the producers’ guild president Mukesh Bhatt at Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis’ residence.
“We have always protested against Pakistani artistes but Bollywood never understood earlier. Now they have realised,” Thackeray said, claiming victory for his fringe but noisy nativist party, the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS).
“While Pakistan has banned Indian content, why do we give RAJ THACKERAY, MNS leader
them a red carpet here?” He said those expected to pay up must release photos of the cheques being handed over to defence minister Manohar Parrikar.
CONTINUED ON PAGE 6 RELATED REPORTS >>P13
We have always protested against Pakistani artistes but Bollywood never understood earlier. Now they have realised.
Pakistan flatly bans broadcasting of Indian news and entertainment channels without any reason. Why do we give them a red carpet here?