Many Pakistani artists have worked in the Bollywood industry before 2016, including the names of many actors and actresses like Fawad Khan, Mahira Khan, Ali Zafar and Saba Qamar are included. But after the 2016 Uri Attack carried out in Jammu & Kashmir, the Indian government banned Pakistani artists. Deadly URI attacks took place on September 18, 2016 in Jammu & Kashmir where we lost 19 Indian soldiers as it was carried out by Jaish-e-Mohammed insurgents from Pakistan. Ever since then, we have not seen any Pakistani artists working in the Hindi film industry. Post this horrific attack, the Indian government decided to ban Pakistani artists from working in India.
Now, coming back to the topic, Ae Dil Hai Muskil starred Ranbir Kapoor, Anushka Sharma, and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan in pivotal roles along with Khan. Karan Johar cast Pakistani actor Fawad Khan in his directorial Ae Dil Hai Mushkil. In fact MNS chief Raj Thackeray and many film producers had also announced that the Indian filmmakers will not cast the artist from across the border. But it seems like Karan Johar does not believe in any restrictions as he cast Pakistani actor Fawad Khan in his directorial Ae Dil Hai Mushkil.
Karan Johar’s directorial Ae Dil Hai Mushkil hit the cinema halls on October 18, 2016, but even before the release, the protests regarding the cast of Fawad Khan started making rounds on social media. And therefore due to this reason, Raj Thackeray and ex-Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis asked Johar to pay a fine of Rs 5 crore, which was supposed to go to the Indian Army. But, there were reports that the Indian Army too had refused to accept donations from the filmmaker.
According to Indian Express, a close source from the news channel wrote “Army will not accept the donation of Rs 5 crore offered by Karan Johar’s Dharma Productions ahead of ‘Ae Dil Hai Mushkil’ release.”
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