Indo-Pak cultural ties still on

Despite the cold relation between India and Pakistan after the Mumbai terror attack, cultural exchange between the two countries is still on.

Several projects featuring Pakistani artistes are still going ahead despite threats from Hindu extremist groups. After the Mumbai attacks, Shiv Sena and Raj Thackeray’s MNS called for a boycott of Pakistani artistes and warned producers against hiring them. To drive the point home, they burnt CDs of Pakistani singers Ghulam Ali, Adnan Sami and Ataullah Essa Khelvi. But all may not be lost yet.

Pakistani theatre group Ajoka recently performed at an international festival in Kerala. “We are trying to defuse the tension in whatever way we can. We can’t afford this war hysteria. Peace activists and artists like us have worked hard to build this peace process. It is heartbreaking to imagine that it may get derailed,” said Madeeha Gauhar, actor and artistic director of Ajoka Theatre in an interview with The Hindu.

Pakistani artistes Noman Ijaz, Mehreen Raheel and Ali Zafar recently returned home after finishing their Indian projects. “Everything is fine in India. You generally don’t find any resentment in people there,” said Ijaz.

Pakistani singer Ali Zafar, who  was shooting for his maiden Bollywood venture at the time of the 26/11 attack, said he was happy with the treatment he got in India.