Won't work with Pakistani artistes at the moment, says Ajay Devgn

Mumbai: While many spoke against the ban on Pakistani actors in Indian cinema, few chose to stay mum on the entire issue. However, Ajay Devgn became the first celebrity to openly confess that he won’t work with any Pakistani artiste at the moment.

In an interview with CNN News 18, Ajay expressed why he wouldn’t work with any Pakistani actor. oHowe

“We all want peace, lekin taali ek haath se nehi bajti (you can’t clap with one hand). I heard some people saying talks are the only way to continue but talks have been going on. You keep talking to people and they come and kill you, then you still continue your dialogue,” Ajay said.

“I want to see you getting into a fight with somebody and after he gives you a tight slap on your face and you say okay let’s have a talk right now. What will your reaction be instantly?” he added.

Ajay Devgn isn’t the only celebrity who furiously spoke his mind on the issue. Recently, Akshay Kumar too expressed his honest views in an explosive video where he addressed the Uri terror by saying, “Today, I'm not speaking to you as a star or a celebrity. I am speaking to you as an army man's son," he clarifies before adding, "I have been noticing our countrymen fighting amongst themselves since a few days. A few of them are asking for a proof of the surgical strike, while others have been asking for the artistes to be banned, while some others are just concerned if a war might happen at all.”

The actor who seemed to be in the mood to not mince words said that people should be ashamed of themselves.

"The fights can wait. What needs to be understood is that someone's already died on the frontier. The 19 soldiers who were martyred in the Uri terror attacks and the 24-year old Nitin Yadav who was martyred in the Baramulla attack... Do you think their families are concerned about the release of a film or a ban on an artiste? No. Their only concern is their future and our concern should be securing their present and their future," the actor lashed out.

After the Uri attacks that saw 18 Indian soldiers losing their lives to terrorism, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) had given a 48-hour ultimatum to Pakistani artistes to leave the country or get ready to be kicked out, forcing actors like Fawad Khan to fly back to Pakistan.

Things got messier when Indian Motion Picture Producers’ Association (IMPPA) announced a ban on Pakistani artists and technicians for an indefinite period until normalcy returns. Though many Indian artistes have so far voiced their perspectives on the attacks, no Pakistani artiste has spoken out on the issue.

MNS Chief, Raj Thackeray had vehemently criticised Salman Khan, Om Puri and Karan Johar for opposing the ban. MNS has also threatened to stop the release of ‘Ae Dil Hai Mushkil’ and ‘Raees’ which features Pakistani actors Fawad Khan and Mahira Khan respectively. Eventually, the release date of ‘Raees’ got postponed.

In an interview, Raj Thackeray had said, “We have asked the theatres to not release their movie, we must teach them a lesson, the producers are more at fault than those artists.”

The controversy has already divided Indian film industry in two parts with many supporting the ban, while few opposing it by requesting people to keep art and cinema away from political conflict.