Ban On Pakistani Artist - Following URI Attacks!!

Following the Uri attacks, a ban on Pakistani artists like Fawad Khan, Mahira Khan, Mowra Hocane among others was demanded by many Indians. This lead to a huge debate and many people, especially in Bollywood got divided over this issue.

Bollywood celebrities including filmmaker Karan Johar and actor Suresh Oberoi, expressed their anguish over MNS threat to Pakistani artists to leave India, saying ban is not a solution to terrorism.

Johar, whose upcoming directorial venture "Ae Dil Hai Mushkil" stars Pakistani actor Fawad Khan, says his heart bleeds for the lives lost in the Uri terror attack and he understands the anger in the country but boycotting artistes from the neighboring country is no solution to terrorism.

Voicing his opinion, filmmaker Vikram Bhatt had said that India should push for declaring Pakistan as a terrorist state, but should not drag actors into the situation.

"We should concentrate on making sure that Pakistan is declared a terrorist state. That should be our effort. This (asking Pak actors to leave) is like trivialising the issue-- whether artists or cricket should be allowed nor not...

"How does that matter? What matters is that people are dying, we have been constantly suffering... And the only thing we do is ban artists!" he said.

Film critic Mayank Shekhar had also criticised MNS saying culture is apolitical and when government of India has given permission to Pakistani actors to work here, any other political outfit should not "spread fear" among people.

Meanwhile, comedian Raju Srivastava has cancelled his upcoming show in Karachi, saying he can't be making jokes and be funny at a time when Indian soldiers are getting killed.

"I was invited to do a comedy show in Pakistan but every day we see that our soldiers are getting killed at the border.

In this situation how can I go and make people laugh there? 

"I don't want to go to Pakistan. Our country is good.

Here we have brotherhood, respect and love. We are happy here.

I won't go to Pakistan to do the show" he wrote on Twitter.

Veteran actor Nana Patekar on Sunday said that the time is not right for Pakistan artists to work in India. Making a comment on why it's not the right time for the Pakistani artists to work in India, he said,

"This is not the right time for them to work in the country. Country comes first, then artists."

When he was further asked to comment on how Bollywood is standing divided over the ban on Pakistani actors, he said,

"I was in Army and I have spent two and half years there. So I know who our biggest heroes are. No one can be a bigger hero than our Army men. Our original heroes are our jawans."

Backing his opinion, Nana Patekar concluded by saying,

"First stands my country, I don’t know anyone beyond my country neither would I want to know. An artist is very small in front of the country."

And now here we read an open letter written by Major Gaurav Arya on this issue of banning Pakistani artists has gone viral and the pointers mentioned in it are spot on.

Read the letter below from the view of a soldier and what your support to Pakistanis can create consequences :-

Our boys have just about returned from across the Line of Control after a very successful surgical strike. The entire nation is delirious with joy; the entire nation, except a few. Today, I was part of a panel discussion in JNU, interestingly called “Intellectual Terrorism”. The term is self-explanatory, though wide ranging. I will discuss one type of intellectual terrorism here.

The proponents of this type of terror are to found in every walk of life, but the roots of this disease are embedded in some institutions of higher learning. More of that some other time. Karan Johar wants to know if asking Fawad Khan to go back to Pakistan will stop terror. Mahesh Bhatt joins the chorus by saying “stop terrorism, not talks” implying that we must continue to talk to Pakistan. The cricket board will continue to play matches with Pakistan. Certain business houses will continue to do business with Pakistan. All this, while our soldiers are dying on the border. 

Will sending Pakistani artists back, stopping cricket and business with Pakistan actually end terror from Pakistan? No, it most certainly will not. But there is an emotion called solidarity. You cannot make films, play cricket and do business as if everything is fine, because it is not. It makes the soldier wonder aloud, “Why should I alone bear the weight of conflict?” 

This conflict between India and Pakistan is not the soldier’s personal war. He is dying and killing for you and me. Imagine a situation in which the soldier felt, and behaved, like Karan Johar and Mahesh Bhatt? Imagine if a soldier walked up to his superior and said, “Sir, while I am dying on the Line of Control, these people are going about as if everything is absolutely fine between the two countries.”How many of you would like it if a soldier felt that this was not his personal war, and he, like Mahesh Bhatt, should walk across the Line of Control and shake hands with a Pakistani soldier? Why should he alone sacrifice for India, when others were making merry? A soldier will die before the thinks of such treason, but its certainly food for thought, isn’t it?

Patriotism and sacrifice is not the sole responsibility of the soldier. India is Mahesh Bhatt’s country, as much as it is the soldier’s.The United States boycotted the Moscow Olympics in 1980, and the Russians did likewise when they boycotted the Los Angeles Olympics in 1984. This is what happens when national interest is held paramount. And this is what must happen now. For 70 years, Pakistan has been killing Indian citizens.

Are we so inured to the pain of our fellow brethren that making a movie or playing a cricket match takes precedence over a soldier’s mourning home?  18 families have been shattered like glass. Not a word for them by our Bollywood royalty, mind you. But the pain of Fawad Khan’s departure is too much to bear, it seems.

A tweet in support of Pakistani artists is mandatory. These directors and producers will have you believe that before Rahat Fateh Ali Khan sang for Bollywood, there was no music of significance in the Hindi film industry.

The cricket board is so busy making money that a widow’s silent sob and an orphan’s scream does not matter. What actually matters are day and night matches between India and Pakistan.

The most keenly contested sporting event in history, they say; even better than the Ashes. And the soldiers? Well, as far as they are concerned, they are on another planet, far removed from the glitzy Bollywood studios, and the teak paneled walls of the stately boardrooms of the BCCI.

The blood, the mud, the screams and the exploding gunpowder are just distant and inconvenient, not very different from traffic during the Mumbai monsoons. Life must go on. Its easy to ask for peace when you are a thousand miles away from the Line of Control, and your primary concerns are which party to attend this evening and where to get financing for your next film. 

Peace is not a punch line. It is the end result of war.  

Jai Hind. 

Major Gaurav Arya (Veteran)

When I saw the families of the 18 Uri Attack Martyrs, one of whom was going to get married soon, one of whose daughter went to take her exams the next day, and one whose son decided he’s going to avenge his father’s death by joining the army, a little part of me died inside. Look at me, writing this article, enjoying my cup of coffee, seating in the comfortable zone of my home.

And look at those men who’ve come back home wrapped in a tri-colour, leaving behind nothing but remorse and no monetary help whatsoever by the Government. What was my immediate reaction? Anger. A lot of it. I was angry. I felt helpless. How in the world can I show my emptiness, do anything about anything that’s happening on our border? I could feel 1 Billion Indians feel the same angst and pain.

Amidst all of this happening inside me and all around the country, the only question that rotates in my mind is ‘What is right, boycotting the Pakistani artist, Match, Business with them? Or just being in a state of war and still stay calm with fellow Pakistanis?’ 

I truly understand that not all of the members of enemy country can be terrorist, they are simple human beings living peacefully in their own life. But we must understand that, meanwhile we are making friendly relations with the member of enemy country, our soldiers are being killed by them and they are not fighting for any personal reason, it is all about the country. 

If Bollywood is being friendly with fellow Pakistani artist and if BCCI is being liberal to play cricket with them and keep up the sports man spirit, why are only the soldiers responsible for desh bhakti?? As the major mentioned in his letter above, if the soldier would also go and be friendly to those standing beyond the Line of Control, they would never have to die, Right? Just imagine the circumstances where in our military would also think about being friendly, would you ever be able to sleep peacefully in the comfort zone of your homes? The constant fear would not let you live. Even the thought of it is so scary and unimaginable. But those soldiers are living under the sky of death daily, just so that you and me can sleep peacefully. It is our duty to support them and show our part of Desh Bhakti too by boycotting anyone and everyone from the enemy country. Let us all pledge to boycott movies that involve Pakistani artist, let us say no to watching India vs Pak cricket matches, let us not get involved in any kind of trade or business with this country, until and unless they stop killing our people. This would be just a small gesture to show respect to the martyrs who died for us and to those who are bravely fighting and protecting our borders. 

If a country is our enemy, each and every citizen of the country is our enemy. That’s what I call the nationalism!!!

For Those Who Want Freedom For Kashmir

To those who are asking for Freedom Of Kashmir.. 

I write in this open statement because something terrible is happening in the Kashmir Valley. The recent events at Srinagar only brought the situation to national attention. Some locals or outsiders pretending to be locals started to use stone and granite bombs on visitors if Kashmir as well as on military forces. Many visitors claims to have been beaten as well and some lungars for Amarnath Yatra has been looted too. Thereafter, many political and non political clashes have broken out in north Kashmir. And yet more is expected in the coming month.

I understand that there is little pro-India sentiment amongst locals in the Kashmir Valley. Many would rather the Valley be on its own, some wouldn’t even mind being with Pakistan. I will not judge you. Despite being a patriotic Indian, i won’t hold it against you if you hate India. You must and do have your reasons for it.

However, allow me to present another point of view. Allow me to tell you how your future will be best, on a practical basis, if the Kashmir Valley integrates and assimilates with India. This is not an emotional, political or historical argument. It is simply more rational for people in the Kashmir Valley who seek a better future to do it with India.

Sure, the experts will jump on me now and I am ready to take all the blames and harsh comments on me. But to those who wants to make Kashmir independent, have you ever thought that your condition will be worst and soon Pakistan is going to take you over. And to those who are happily interested in making the state a part of Pakistan, have you not seen the constant fear that people are facing in most of the parts of Pakistan? Are you really not aware about the common security issues or do you just want to close your eyes and stay ignorant always? Either way, you are choosing death or if still better a life with constant fear. 

There is also a risk of its being taken over by fundamentalist Islamic forces. It is unlikely anybody from outside would invest money in such a dangerous place. There would be no jobs and no safety. Would you want to live there? Ditto if it joins Pakistan. India is seen as a major emerging market economy. Pakistan is not even seen as a real economy.

Another issue is women’s rights. Half of the Valley’s people are women. Given the hold of fundamentalist Islam, their rights would be curbed under both the independence and Pakistan options. This half of the population would be better off with India. Or do what women want not matter?

If you are Kashmiri and care for Kashmir, the best thing you can do is to integrate with India. Your population size is small, only 7 million. It is not unthinkable to unite them and create a group of people that talks real business with the Indian government. Your local politician won’t talk assimilation, as he or she would rather hold more power than a typical state government in India. However, for you, the youth, the best bet is to make the Valley truly and heartily a part of India.

The rest of India should not ask for the removal of Article 370. The 7 million people in the Valley should. Kashmiri Pandits who were made to leave the Valley need to be brought back. Terrorism is no solution, nor revenge and retribution for Indian atrocities. Terrorism is only going to harm people in the Valley most.

So, it is youth in the Valley who have to now start a movement to really solve this problem. Get rid of Article 370. It is not empowering Kashmir. It is only empowering your local politicians, who frankly can do nothing for you without Indian integration.

Don’t blame the Indian army. It has the tough job of weeding out terrorists from a civilian population which is almost impossible without collateral damage, terrible as that might be. However, blame those truly responsible, the Pakistani army, the local leaders who exploited the situation and the experts who did nothing for you.

Don’t harm your fellow Indians, don't harm your own security forces. Don’t feel good when India fails.

Because if India fails, you will fail too.

This is truly my point of you, but you are free to share it and post it on your own wall. 

And with this post I am deleting all known and unknown people from my Facebook who have been talking against Kashmir or are sharing images that harms my patriotic feelings. I do not hold any grudges towards you but I am clear on my point of view and I deny to accept anything less then that. 

- By Ritu Roy 

(With credit to some facts and parts taken from Open Letter To Kashmiri Youth by Chetan Bhagat)