Theatre owners in Pakistan have decided to lift the self imposed ban on Indian movies, suggest media reports. The said decision was taken by the cinema owners of Islamic nation after Indian army slammed Maharashtra Navnirman Sena’s demand of asking producers working with Pakistani artistes to give Rs 5 crore in Army relief fund.
Lauding Indian Army’s stand, a cinema owner from Pakistan told a leading daily that it is an evidence of changing perspective on the other side of the border. He said the release of actor Fawad Khan’s movie is another testimony of the changing time.
The owner of a leading distribution company told the daily that lifting of ban was necessary because Pakistani cinemas rely heavily on Indian movies for business.
After the rise in hostilities between the two countries, India and Pakistan, exchange of art too took a backseat. Raj Thackrey led MNS demanded a blanket ban on Pakistani artistes, and Indian Motion Pictures Producers' Association (IMPPA) later forbid them from working in Bollywood.
After this, Pakistani theatres decided to not screen Hindi movies.
Following the ban, the last Indian movies that released across the border were ‘Pink’ and ‘Banjo’.
This ban could have affected ‘Ae Dil Hai Mushkil’ too, despite the fact that the movie stars Pakistani actor Fawad Khan. But, now with the cinema owners thinking about lifting the ban, the movie might see a smooth release in Pakistan after all. A formal announcement about the same is expected to happen today.
Not only ‘Ae Dil Hai Mushkil’, this uplifting of ban means ‘Shivaay’ too may release in Pakistan. Owing to the sour relationships between India and Pakistan, actor-filmmaker Ajay Devgn had earlier said that he doesn’t care if his movie doesn’t release there.
