NEW DELHI: The hostility between the arch-rivals Pakistan and India has now literally taken a toll on Bollywood as Indian media reports claiming that Mahira Khan has been dropped from Shahrukh Khan-starrer Raees.
The DNA India report its ‘reliable sources’ as saying that the flick is due to release on Indian Republic Day weekend and the filmmakers had been facing immense pressure to replace the actress, especially after the Uri attack that aggravated the situation.
The report said: “It was a very painful decision for producer Ritesh Sidhwani to take. It came to a point where it became impossible to shoot with any Pakistani. People suggested all kinds of solutions to the impasse, including shooting in Dubai. But it didn’t seem viable. Now, Mahira has unfortunately been relieved of her duties.”
The Raees team needs to find a new girl in two weeks’ time, the report added.
Several B-Town celebrities had been demanding Pak actors to condemn the Uri attack while others asked them to leave India.
Recently Mahira broke her silence on the matter and said: “In the 5 years that I have been working as an actor I believe that I have tried my best to keep my country’s respect intact – by being a professional and by representing Pakistan here and elsewhere to the best of my abilities.”
She further said: “As a Pakistani and citizen of the world I strongly condemn any act of terror, any loss of human life no matter which soil it is on. I will not rejoice in bloodshed and war.”
Fawad Khan is also featuring in Karan Johar’s Ae Dil Hai Mushkil and some reports claimed that he will also be meted out the same treatment in the wake of current situation.
India’s hardliner political outfit Maharashtra Navnirman Sena had demanded in September from filmmakers to drop Fawad and Mahira from upcoming Bollywood flicks.
MNS workers had also protested outside Karan Johar’s Dharma Productions office for casting Fawad in Ae Dil Hai Mushkil.
Talking about Karan, Khopkar said, “Karan Johar isn’t bigger than the government. If Karan Johar and Raees makers don’t replace the actors, we will not allow Ae Dil Hai Mushkil and Raees to release.”
This is what Mahira had posted on her Facebook account about Pakistan-India tensions.
