Raees producer snubs MNS, sticks to January 26 release

Raj Thackeray and his men firm on not allowing the screening of films with Pakistani artistes.

Even as right-wing party Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) has warned Bollywood producers that any attempt to release films starring Pakistanis would be met with severe resistance, producer Ritesh Sidhwani has decided to throw caution to the winds and go ahead with the release of his film Raees starring Pakistani actress Mahira Khan as scheduled on January 26. “We are sticking to the release date we announced earlier for Raees. I don’t think a ban has happened yet. The association has itself written to the government, asking it to allow the release of films that were already shot with Pakistani artistes. Let these movies release. Whatever the government decides later, IMPPA will take a call on that,” said Mr Sidhwani.

The demands to get rid of Pakistani artistes came amidst attack on an Indian military base in Uri on September 18, where 18 soldiers were killed. Raees which stars Shah Rukh Khan in the lead role is scheduled for a January 26 release. There were reports that the makers were considering to defer the release of the film following the aggressive stance adopted by the MNS towards Pakistani artistes.

The Indian Motion Picture Producers Association (IMPPA), however, had a meeting with the MNS and urged the political party not to hamper the release of films that had already completed shooting with Pakistani artistes. “Right now, the atmosphere is charged. I don’t think it is the right moment to talk about it. But, it is up to the government to decide. They have to decide on what is right and what is wrong for us. My heart goes out to those who died in the Uri attack,” said Mr Sidhwani.

Meanwhile, the MNS has maintained that their opposition to movies with Pakistani actors had not changed. There were reports that MNS had threatened to beat producers who release films with Pakistani actors. Shalini Thackeray, MNS leader, said, “Beating any one will not solve the problem, but our stand remains that we won’t let any movie featuring Pakistani actors release.”