Veteran actor Om Puri has voiced his opinions against the recent ban on Pakistani artists by Indian Motion Picture Producers' Association (IMPPA) and said that it won’t change the situation between the two countries.
Puri stated that it is the government who must decide who shall stay here or who shall leave.
“When the government is taking an action, we all should stay quiet. It hardly matters if we send back the artists from Pakistan, who are working here, or let them stay”, he added.
The 65 year-old actor also called the ban on Pakistani actors insignificant as they all are working her with a valid visa.
Puri said if the Pak artists leave their Bollywood projects in the middle, the Indian filmmakers who have signed them will have to incur huge losses.
On the other hand, ace filmmaker Nagesh Kukunoor also echoed similar feelings and said that art and politics should not be mixed, irrespective of the tensed situation between India-Pakistan.
"I have always believed that art should stand alone. Even if you take the worst periods in a nations history, World War II, art still had its voice. I dont think the two should be mixed”, Nagesh said.
Ever since the IMPPA had passed the resolution to ban the Pakistnai artists in India post the Uri attack, Bollywood has been divided into two segments. While several celebs have criticised the ban, there are many who have backed the ban as well.
Actor Randeep Hooda, filmmakers Ashoke Pandit, Anupam Kher are among those who have backed the ban.
Hooda tweeted that Pakistan should be culturally isolated.
"We are trying to isolate Pakistan economically & diplomatically so the cultural isolation must follow #BanPakArtists #IndiaComesFirst #India," he wrote.
Filmmaker Madhur Bhandarkar said though he believes that art has no boundaries, the situation right now is such that nothing is bigger than the country.
He also said that Pakistani artistes, who have worked in India should condemn the Uri attack.
(With IANS Inputs)
