My country comes first, filmmaker Karan Johar said today in an emotional video statement in which he pledged to stop working with Pakistani artistes but also pleaded the cause of his soon-to-be-released film "Ae Dil Hai Mushkil".
Confronting calls by groups to block the film starring Pakistani actor Fawad Khan, Mr Johar said: "Going forward I would like to say of course I will not engage talent from neighbouring country given the circumstance. With that same energy I beseech you to know one thing, that over 300 Indian people in my crew have put their blood, sweat and tears in Ae Dil Hai Mushkil and I don't think it's fair to them to face any kind of turbulence on account of other fellow Indians."
A group of nearly 450 cinema owners of four states has decided not to screen films with Pakistani artistes to respect public sentiment after the Uri attack last month in which 19 soldiers were killed by terrorists from Pakistan.
As tension escalated over India's surgical strikes in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir on September 29 Pakistani theatre owners decided to stop screening Indian films.
Here's the transcript of Karan Johar's statement:
I need to say this and I say this with strength that for me my country comes first. Nothing else matters but my country. I always felt that the best way to express your patriotism is through love and that's all I always tried to do through my work, and my cinema.
With that same energy I beseech you to know one thing that over 300 Indian people in my crew have put their blood, sweat and tears in Ae Dil Hai Mushkil and I don't think it is fair to them to face any kind of turbulence on account of other fellow Indians.
I hope all of you understand the circumstance and situation we are in and respect the fact we love and respect our country over and above anything else.
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