Sonali Bendre Justifies Ban on Pakistani Artistes

Mumbai: Bollywood actress Sonali Bendre backed the decision to ban Pakistani artistes from working or performing in India, saying it was need of the hour given the current strained ties between the two countries.

Asked about the ban imposed on Pakistani artistes by a movie industry body, she told reporters here, "We are very proud of our Army and our government for the surgical strikes (on terror camps in PoK). It was a different initiative. The producers body has already banned them. If they're not your friends and if you're cutting the relations in business, every business should stop. Of course, considering the times it should be the norm of the day and should be applicable to everybody."

Earlier, filmmakers KaranJohar, Hansal Mehta and Anurag Kashyap, among others, had expressed their displeasure over the ban call.

In the wake of Uri terror attack, MNS had asked Pakistani artistes like actors Fawad Khan and Mahira Khan to leave India, failing which it had threatened to stall their film shoots. They also demanded a ban on Pakistani artists working in the Indian film industry. Subsequently, Indian Motion Pictures' Artists Association (IMPAA) came out with a resolution to ban all Pakistani artists and technicians till the relations between the two neighbours normalises.

PTI