The escalating tensions along Kashmir’s Line of Control are casting a shadow over cultural ties between India and Pakistan, hitting the avenue of creativity that often transcends boundaries and symbolizes hope for peace.
A series of developments threatens to roll back cooperation between artistes and film industries of the two South Asian neighbors.
For several years, Indian Bollywood has benefited from the talents of Pakistani singers and actors. Conversely, Pakistan artistes have found a broader platform for showcasing their talent, and earned larger sums of money.
First, -following a tense standoff over Kashmir – where Indian forces shave slaughtered civilian demonstrators – the Indian Producers Association banned Pakistani actors and technicians from performing in Bollywood movies.
So much so, Pakistani singer Rahat Fateh Ali Khan, a renowned classical maestro, has been replaced with an Indian singer in a Bollywood movie he was to sing for.
In a tit-for-tat move on Friday. Pakistani film exhibitors association’s decided to stop screening Bollywood movies in Lahore and other big cities of the country. Initially, Indian movies were removed from over 20 cinemas.
‘We stand with Pakistan armed forces . If Indians don’t want Pakistani actors to perform in Bollywood movies, we don’t want to have cultural ties with them”, says Waryam Iqbal, spokesman for the leading cinema network.
Across the border, Indian media reports also said the association members convened a meeting and it was decided that Pakistani actors would have to leave.
Indian Motion Picture Producers Association also passed a resolution that bars all Pakistani actors from carrying on with their business commitments in India until normalcy returns.
Pakistani government had partially lifted ban on exhibition of Indian films in 2008.
In the midst of months-old tensions over Kashmir, Indian Raj Thackeray-led Maharashtra Navnirman Sena have also asked the Pakistani artists including Fawad Khan, Mahira Khan and Ali Zafar to leave India.
Another famous Pakistani singer Shafqat Amanat Ali was threatened while he was in Southern Indian city of Bengalore to perform.
Meanwhile , the demand for ban on Indian TV Channels in Pakistan is also on the rise. All Pakistan Cable Operators Association have initially stopped showing Indian TV channels in Southern Punjab town of Bahawalpur and contemplating the possibility of doing so in Lahore, Karachi and other cities of Pakistan in a bid to express solidarity with Pakistan armed forces.
It appears that the spate of moves will affect the Indian film industry badly as it has relied on Pakistani talent for many of its successful productions for several years.
