Karan Johar Says Won't Use Pak Actors Anymore But Unfair To Target 'Ae Dil..' | Read
My country comes first, filmmaker Karan Johar said, breaking his silence on the row over his film Ae Dil Hai Mushkil, in an emotional video statement in which he expressed a "deep sense of hurt and pain" by the charge of being anti-national.
Here's the transcript of Karan Johar's statement:
There has been some talk about why I remained silent for the past two weeks. Today I would like to clarify why I remained silent. It is because of a deep sense of hurt, deep sense of pain that I felt, that a few people would actually believe that I am being anti-national.
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.
When I shot my film Ae Dil Hai Mushkil - in September to December last year - the climate was completely different, the circumstances were completely different. There were efforts made by our country for peaceful relationships with the neighbouring countries and I respect those efforts then, those endeavours then, and I respect the sentiment today. I understand the sentiment because I feel the same. 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 is fair to them to face any kind of turbulence on account of other fellow Indians.
I respect the Indian Army, I salute the Indian Army for everything they do to protect us in our environment. I respect them with all my heart and I say I condemn any form of terrorism. Any form, especially the terrorism that would affect the people of my country and me.
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.
Here's the transcript of Karan Johar's statement:
There has been some talk about why I remained silent for the past two weeks. Today I would like to clarify why I remained silent. It is because of a deep sense of hurt, deep sense of pain that I felt, that a few people would actually believe that I am being anti-national.
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.
When I shot my film Ae Dil Hai Mushkil - in September to December last year - the climate was completely different, the circumstances were completely different. There were efforts made by our country for peaceful relationships with the neighbouring countries and I respect those efforts then, those endeavours then, and I respect the sentiment today. I understand the sentiment because I feel the same. 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 is fair to them to face any kind of turbulence on account of other fellow Indians.
I respect the Indian Army, I salute the Indian Army for everything they do to protect us in our environment. I respect them with all my heart and I say I condemn any form of terrorism. Any form, especially the terrorism that would affect the people of my country and me.
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.
