MNS issues ultimatum to Karan Johar, denies speculation that it has extorted money in the guise of protesting against Pakistani actors
Hemal Ashar (MID-DAY; October 13, 2016)

“Delete Fawad from the movie,” says MNS general secretary Shalini Thackeray about the film ‘Ae Dil Hai Mushkil’, which is slated for a Diwali release just a couple of weeks later. After pushing Pakistani artistes to leave the country, the party has now trained its guns on Bollywood movies starring Pak actors. And the next target? Pak cricket commentators.

While it got its blockbuster moment during the ‘no Pak artistes in Bollywood’ movement, it hopes to see to it that Pakistani actors don’t get any hits in Bollywood. Here are excerpts from an interview with MNS general secretary, Shalini Thackeray:

For how long do you think Pak artistes should be banned?
For how long will terror against India continue to emanate from Pakistan? Political and diplomatic isolation move slowly, and we believe culturally isolating Pak is the fastest way to send the message that India is in no mood to take this any longer.

You are against movies with Pakistani actors, like Karan Johar’s ‘Ae Dil Hai Mushkil’ with Fawad Khan.
Karan Johar has to replace Fawad Khan or delete him from the movie altogether. It is not too late; I am a producer too, I know this is possible.

There are rumours that stakeholders in the movie may give MNS money to allow the release. A figure of Rs 10 crore is being touted.
This is all rubbish. We have not had any meetings with Karan Johar or anybody, nor has any money being given. People will also boycott such movies, and donate to the families of defence personnel instead.

Pak commentators come here too...
We will talk to the BCCI too, soon.

Pak has stated they will also boycott our movies and stars in response.
(Laughs) They hardly ever showed our movies anyway. There is a huge piracy racket there for Bollywood movies and that money is channelled into terror. Pak artistes who work here pay taxes to their government. What will that money be used for? In a way, we fund the terror against us.

There are some, like Salman Khan, who say Pak artistes are not terrorists.
We have never stated that Pak actors are terrorists. Yet, can Salman Khan give us a guarantee that they are not informers? I have seen the Pak artistes tweeting about attacks in Paris, Syria, Beirut and yet there was not one word of sympathy for the Indian jawans or the country that has given them love, fame and money.