Filmmaker Karan Johar on Tuesday expressed his pain at being labelled anti-national ahead of the release of his directorial Ae Dil Hai Mushkil (ADHM), which stars Pakistani actor Fawad Khan.
His romantic film has faced threats of vandalism from right-wing Hindu groups amid heightened tensions between India and Pakistan.
After a long silence on the issue, Johar opened up in a video statement on Tuesday.
“[I] remained silent because of the deep sense of hurt that I felt... that there are a few people who 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,” Johar said.
“Nothing else matters to me but my country. I have always felt that the best way to express patriotism is to spread love and that is all I have ever 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 government [to promote] peaceful relationships between the neighbouring country and I [respected] those endeavours then... and I respect the sentiment today. I understand the sentiments as I feel the same.”
“Going forward, I would like to say that I will not engage with the talent from the neighbouring country given the circumstance but 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 into my film and I don’t think it’s fair to them to face any kind of turbulence on account of other fellow Indians.”
His film has become the first target of those against the hiring of Pakistani artists in Indian films after the September 18 Uri attack that killed 19 Indian soldiers in Jammu and Kashmir. The attack was followed by Indian strikes on areas in Pakistan.
While the Hindu right-wing party Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) issued an ultimatum to Pakistani artists to leave India, the Indian Motion Picture Producers Association passed a resolution asking producers to avoid working with talent from Pakistan.
Last week, the Cinema Owners and Exhibitors Association of India announced that single-screen theatres in Maharashtra, Goa and Gujarat won’t be allowed to screen Johar’s ADHM.
On Tuesday, filmmaker Mukesh Bhatt, President of the Film and Television Producers Guild of India, met a Mumbai police representative to ensure that the city’s multiplexes, whick will be allowed to screen ADHM, are secured. The Mumbai police have promised protection.
Johar, who spearheads Dharma Productions — said he respects the Indian Army for “everything they do to protect us in our environment”.
“I say I condemn any form of terrorism... I just hope you understand exactly the circumstance and situation that we are in and respect the fact that we love and respect our country over and above anything else,” he added.
ADHM, which also stars Ranbir Kapoor, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and Anushka Sharma, releases in the UAE on October 27.
