Award nominations for Pakistanis!

The Filmfare awards nominations are just out. A lot of eyebrows have shot up as at least three Pakistani names are part of the list. Fawad Khan, for his performance in Shakun Batra’s Kapoor & Sons, and two singers Rahat Fateh Ali Khan and Atif Aslam have been short-listed. All richly deserved. But isn’t the honour shamefully ill-timed? Also, a little silly given that the actors are currently banned from working in the country. Nor are they likely to arrive to collect the awards if they do win. 

A  prominent filmmaker, whose films have got a staggering number of awards in the past, says he will neither attend nor accept any awards at a function where Pakistani artistes are welcome.  “It’s a matter of self-respect. We are not welcome in Pakistan. They brutally kill and maim our soldiers. And we behave as if our cinema can’t do without their  artistes,” says the  filmmaker.

Says BJP spokesperson Shaina NC, “Relations with Pakistan have deteriorated to such an extent that there is a move now to declare Pakistan a terror state on an international level. Given the current crisis, I don’t think we can have Pakistani artistes coming here.”