Pakistani artists who faced criticism in India

Fawad Khan, Mahira Khan not to enter Maharashtra?

After much hullabaloo made by the Shiv Sena over banning Pakistani artists in Maharashtra in the light of the cross-border terrorism, popular Khoobsurat hunk, Fawad Khan and Raees actress, Mahira Khan, will not enter the state for work or film promotions. The makers of Fawad Khan’s upcoming film have decided to keep the heartthrob away to avoid any controversy whereas Mahira Khan, who had shot for Shah Rukh Khan’s Raees in Mumbai, will be completing the rest of her work in Dubai, as reported on Indicine.com.

However, not only the actors, quite a few Pakistani singers including Atif Aslam and Ghulam Ali, too, faced criticism in India. Know more…

Bollywood has become a hub for Pakistani singers. Many of them have a flourishing career in the country and have taken the film industry by storm. These singers were appreciated for their talent and their songs topped the charts. While the industry isn’t biased towards them, these singers faced trouble due to their nationality. Let's take a look at the issues that these singers faced in India and what they had to say about the ordeal...

Atif Aslam

Shiv Sena activists had apparently forced the organisers to cancel the concert of Pakistani singer, Atif Aslam, that was scheduled to take place on April 25, 2015 in Pune. According to a report on Mumbai Mirror, the activists claimed that there was no place for artistes from Pakistan. Back in the government as a coalition partner, Shiv Sena, the party that had imposed this deprivation on the state, has struck again; and their threats have pressured the Anjaneya Sathe Group to drop their music festival featuring the Pakistani rock star, the report stated. While the artiste himself could not be reached over the phone, a representative of the Anjaneya Group, refusing to furnish her name, said to Mirror, "This is a political issue. The Shiv Sena is not allowing us to go ahead with the show. We do not wish to court any political complications and decided to call off the show." She skirted any further discussion on the matter or whether the police had failed to give them the confidence to go ahead, stated the report. The reports further claimed that while the police denied any involvement in the event being summarily pulled out, Shiv Sena Pune city president, Vinayak Nimhan, gleefully accepted that his party has been liaising with the men in uniform to eject the much-publicised event. He was quoted in the report as saying that, "We had met the deputy commissioner of police and requested that no such programme involving Pakistani artistes should be permitted to happen."

Adnan Sami

According to a PTI report, Maharashtra Navnirman Chitrapat Karmachari Sena, the film wing of the Raj Thackeray-led MNS, had asked Pakistani singer, Adnan Sami, to leave the country in October, 2013 as he was allegedly staying in India without a visa. "Sami met us at our office, seeking our cooperation. We told him to leave the country as his visa has expired," MNS film wing president Amey Khopkar had said. "We told Sami that our priority would be our artistes," Khopkar had told . However, now the singer has been allowed to stay in India for an indefinite period following his appeal to legalise his stay on humanitarian grounds, reports Mumbai Mirror. Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju conveyed to the Lok Sabha that Sami, 46, has been exempted from deportation proceedings under Section 3 of the Foreigners Act, the report stated. Ironically, the BJP had criticised the UPA government for extending Sami's visa. Now, as per an order issued on June 3, the Central government "in public interest," declared that the provisions of Foreigners Act, 1946 will not apply to Adnan Sami Khan, and that "he is exempted from the deportation proceedings."

While many political parties and some Bollywood singers are unhappy with the presence of Pakistani singers in Bollywood, they are not complaining. Here’s what the Pakistani singers have to say about India...

Shafqat Amanat Ali Khan

Singer Shafqat Amanat Ali Khan feels that the focus should not be on these elements as music has been the one constant positive element in India-Pak relations. In an interview with TOI, he had said, "Music is the one bond that has remained between India and Pakistan despite everything, and I hope that it stays that way. When it comes to cricket or other areas, things tend to get a little heated at times, but music works. There's some degree of interdependence there."

Rahat Fateh Ali Khan

In an interview with TOI, when Pakistani singer, Rahat Fateh Ali Khan, was asked about the reason for not performing in India after 2011, he said, "The loss was on account of the fact that my fans suffered, as I did not do shows here. I used to enjoy performing in India so much that I don't enjoy even in Pakistan. Level of satisfaction of a performance I get singing in India, I get nowhere else kyunki Hindustan ke log music ko samajhte hai."