MID-DAY (September 28, 2016)

This Friday's release, M S Dhoni - The Untold Story, seems to be the first casualty of the escalating tension between India and Pakistan over the recent Uri attacks. Pakistani distributors have decided against releasing the Indian cricket captain's biopic in their country.

A source from the exhibition industry in Pakistan says, "The film does not feature in the programming list since no distributor wants to bring it here."

IMGC Global entertainment, a Pakistan-based distribution company, was supposed to release the film, but its chairman Ahmed Rashid says, "Amid current tension between the two countries, we have decided not to release the film."

Rashid adds Indian films do brisk business across the border and Pakistan is emerging as the third highest overseas market for Bollywood, say trade insiders. "But, this development (boycott of Dhoni) will affect the business," adds the insider.

Meanwhile, a petition was filed at the Lahore High Court on September 23, seeking a ban on Indian films until the Kashmir issue is resolved. The PIL filed by lawyer Azhar Saddique claims that exhibiting Bollywood movies in local cinemas will "hurt sentiments of the people in Pakistan and Kashmir".

Despite repeated attempts, the film's director Neeraj Pandey and production house did not respond to text messages.

MNS protests continue
The MNS stepped up its protest against Pakistani artistes in Bollywood by staging a demonstration outside filmmaker Karan Johar's Andheri office. Mumbai police rounded up the activists and stationed cops outside his office. KJo's upcoming film, Ae Dil Hai Mushkil stars Pakistani heartthrob Fawad Khan, who reportedly fled to his home country yesterday.