Lyricist Javed Akhtar stated on Tuesday, is the question to be posed in the aftermath of the Pahalgam terror attack. There is scarcely “any warmth today” in India-Pakistan cultural relations, the veteran screenwriter-poet observed while adding that this is not the moment to even ponder if Pakistani artists can be permitted to work in India.
Javed Akhtar Reflects Pakistani Artistes Should Work in India
“This could be thought about in better times and hopefully after some years some sense will prevail. And there’ll be a better attitude towards India from the establishment of Pakistan. And then this can be considered. But at the moment, this question should not be asked. Not possible,” Javed Akhtar told PTI in an interview.
He further stated that Pakistani singers like Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, Mehdi Hassan, Ghulam Ali, and Noor Jehan had been open-armedly welcomed by Indian authorities in the past. But their Pakistani counterpart had not returned the favour.
Javed’s remarks follow government sources having stated last week that Abir Gulaal, starring Pakistani actor Fawad Khan, will not be permitted to hit the theatres in India. The decision has been taken at a time when there have been increasing demands for a ban on the film, previously scheduled to release on May 9, following terrorists firing at 26 people in the scenic Pahalgam mountains of Kashmir on April 22.
Is Banning Pakistani Artistes the Solution?
Asked whether the ban is fair, Javed Akhtar said there would be a better time for this discussion. “Particularly whatever has happened recently after that (it) should not even be a topic at the moment. There is hardly any friendly feeling or warmth because of what has happened in Pahalgam,” he told PTI on the sidelines of the IP and Music: Feel the beat of IP event organised by FICCI.
“The question should be, should we allow Pakistani artists to work here?” Discussing the great reception Indians have always given great Pakistani artistes, he also referred to Faiz Ahmed Faiz as a poet of the subcontinent.
“I won’t say Pakistani poet. He was living in Pakistan because he was born there. But he was the poet of the subcontinent, a poet of peace and love. When he came to India, during Mr Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s prime ministership, he was treated like a state head.
“The kind of respect he was given by the government and the way they looked after him and so on. But I’m afraid this has never been reciprocated. I have no complaints with the people of Pakistan…,” he added.
Pakistani Artists Welcome in India, But Not the Reverse
The 80-year-old veteran, also the chairperson of Indian Performing Right Society (IPRS), said melody queen Lata Mangeshkar was extremely popular in Pakistan during the 60s and 70s but never performed there even once.
“I won’t complain to the people of Pakistan because they loved her (Lata). That’s why she was so popular… They admired her but there was some blockage. And the blockage was in the system… In this kind of one-way traffic, there once comes a tiredness. This is absolutely equally valid. We don’t get any response from you, but that will go on till when?” he asked.
Javed also added that blocking Pakistani artists in India will only please the army and fundamentalists in Pakistan who want a tall wall between India and Pakistan. “The Pakistani should not be able to see what kind of freedom, what kind of privilege every citizen of India enjoys… They want the distance because that suits them.
“This kind of bonhomie that we are working with Pakistanis doesn’t suit them at all… Because then they go back and they tell about Indian society and they are so privileged and happy they got this opportunity. It’s not appreciated by the right wing there,” he said.
