Banning Indian films will hurt India, not Pakistan

Here we go again.

Karan Johar is not giving interviews; for the time being at least. Does Ae Dil Hai Mushkil even need publicity? News channels have given it relentless primetime coverage thanks to political parties and not Ranbir Kapoor. Social media users have jumped from gushing about Aishwarya-Ranbir chemistry to hating the film even before they have seen it. Meanwhile, ADHM soundtrack is already a hit.

On Friday October 14, the day the Cinema Owners and Exhibitors Association of India (COEAI) announced that it won’t screen Ae Dil Hai Mushkil in single-screen cinemas of Goa, Maharashtra, Gujarat and parts of Karnataka, Johar stuck to his commitment of attending an award ceremony hosted by a leading media group. Recognised as a trendsetter, he posed for a picture with the group’s owner. In it, Johar doesn’t smile. It’s not like he is giving away his grim mood. He is only showcasing the famous almost-pout, model-like expression.

Johar is well aware that from being a visually arresting asset in his film Fawad Khan has now become the liability or even the "mushkil" in his sixth feature. Fawad is an actor, both a good and good-looking one much like Ryan Gosling. He is, in case you didn’t know already, also Pakistani. In the maelstrom of big emotions, a lot of vitriol has been directed at both Khan and Johar, who cast the actor last year impressed by his work in Kapoor & Sons.

Interestingly, as per earlier news reports Johar’s film has another Pakistani actor in Imran Abbas whose special appearance either has been sidelined to avoid more trouble or been axed from the film to avoid more damage. Ae Dil Hai Mushkil may benefit from Fawad Khan’s presence in it just like Kapoor & Sons did. And if that is indeed true, what do we do? Blame Pakistan or congratulate Karan Johar for casting him?

The ongoing backlash against Pakistani actors, singers and technicians has even hit the Mumbai Film Festival, whose chairperson is Kiran Rao and festival director Anupama Chopra. The festival decided not to add fuel to the fire and cancelled the screening of Jaago Hua Savera, a Pakistani film in the restored classics section. Written by Faiz Ahmed Faiz, the 1959 film in fact also has Indian cast and crew, and was screened at the prestigious Cannes Film Festival.

“Given the current situation, the Jio MAMI 18th Mumbai Film Festival with Star has decided not to programme Jago Hua Savera as part of the Restored Classics Section,” said the statement. Cinephiles are already bemoaning the decision which, like the COEAI, isn’t opposed to the film but is justified on the grounds for it appears to be the only way to stay clear of an ugly spat.

In this unending drama of the #BoycottADHM movement, filmmaker Anurag Kashyap raised a pertinent question: why is it that Hindi films – which predominantly feature Indians in various capacities, most predominantly as audiences – are targeted? After the Indian army and Indians across the border, it is Bollywood which invariably bears the brunt of rising hostility in India-Pakistan relations.

“The World must learn from us. We solve all our problems by blaming it on movies and banning it,” Kashyap wrote on Twitter.

Kashyap then dared to ask the prime minister for an apology for visiting the Pakistani prime minister Nawaz Sharif last December to wish him on his birthday.

“You actually diverted your trip on our tax money, while the film [ADHM] shot then was on money on which someone here pays interest.”

Kashyap’s theory being that if his friend Johar can be targeted despite working with Fawad much before Uri terror attack, then why not Mr Modi? The aftermath of that surprise trip was the Pathankot attack in January. After venting his ire, Kashyap wrapped it up with “Bharat Mata ki Jai Sir @narendramodi” lest his credentials as an Indian citizen be put to the test.

In response to Kashyap’s statements, Union minister of state for home affairs of India Kiren Rijuju said it has become fashionable to question the prime minister. But in the current climate, you know what’s really fashionable? To ban films. To censor a filmmaker’s vision. To demonstrate outside an actor’s house because he expressed his thoughts on the state of affairs. To label people anti-national just because they hold a view that doesn’t conform to yours.

ADHM, Dear Zindagi [starring Ali Zafar] and Raees [starring Mahira Khan] were wrapped up before the attack on Uri. How is it that by suspending or boycotting these Indian films Pakistan will be delivered a devastating blow? What will the animosity accomplish other than affecting the livelihoods of many Indians?

A country which doesn’t let its arts flourish or be accessible to all is not only economically poor, but more so culturally and socially. Let’s not become that country.