No release for Fawad Khan's movie

Mumbai: In all likelihood filmmaker Karan Johar’s Ae Dil Hai Mushkil will not keep its date with single screens across Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka and Gujarat this Diwali.

The Cinema Owners Exhibitors Association of India (COEAI) has decided that no single-screen cinema halls will screen movies, which has Pakistani actors. They claim this decision is keeping in mind the sentiments of the country. The association is largely linked to single screen cinema owners, not multiplexes.

The association’s stand could spell fresh trouble for ADHM, which was slated for a Diwali release.

“We have been thinking on this issue for a month and even sought reactions from theatre owners. Everyone decided that the movies starring Pakistani film actors should not be screened,” said Mr Nitin Datar, president of association.

Following the Uri terror attack on September 18 in which 19 jawans were killed, the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) and Shiv Sena had upped their ante and called for a blanket ban on Pakistani artistes.

The MNS had even threatened to bash up all Pakistani artiste if they failed to leave India within 48 hours. During the Shiv Sena’s Dussehra rally at Shivaji Park, Dadar, party president Uddhav Thackeray had said that the Sena does not endorse the move of Pakistani actors being allowed to work in India, especially when there is tension at the border.

Mumbai BJP president Ashish Shelar called the cinema owners “patriotic” on Twitter.  “The theatre owners have decided to not screen films with Pakistani actors, I congratulate their decision on behalf of the BJP,” Mr Shelar tweeted.

Meanwhile, the government is expected to continue issuing visa to Pakistani actors, including those willing to work in Hindi films or television, for the time being and is not likely to take any hasty decision on the issue.