After last year's Uri attack, the MNS had asked all Pakistani artistes to leave India. Since then, no artiste from Pakistan has performed in India. Now, Mahesh Bhatt has approached singer Shafqat Amanat Ali to sing for his upcoming play Milne Do, which will be staged in Mumbai in June. Sources say that Ali Zafar was also approached by Bhatt for the play. Though Shafqat won't come to India for the play, and will be recording in Pakistan, this is the first instance since the ban when a Pakistani artiste will be a part of an Indian project. To be staged in Mumbai and Delhi in June, Bhatt says that the play is on “cross border peace and is an initiative to revive the cultural ties that were completely eroded after the extreme positions, decisions taken by both countries post the Uri attack.“

THERE HAVE BEEN OFFERS FOR VARIOUS SHOWS AND MOVIE SONGS FROM INDIA: SHAFQAT
Shafqat, who will sing a song for the play, tells us from Pakistan, “Bhatt saab got in touch with me two weeks ago. The reason for saying yes to it is very simple. It's a project on peace. There are differences between the two countries which have caused a rift and that needs to be ironed out. This project is a step in that direction. Due to my tight schedule, I won't be travelling to India and will be recording in Pakistan.“

Shafqat adds that small steps taken by both countries indicate a positive change. “The ban on Indian films has been lifted in Pakistan and people here watched Kaabil, Raees and a couple of other movies very enthusiastically. My song for Bhatt saab's project is another step in the direction of bringing things back to normal. I have also got offers for shows and movies from India,“ says Shafqat, who is still not sure if the time is right for artistes to travel between the two countries.

“Artistes are affected by political conditions. We also have to keep in mind the security of not just our teams, but also of our fans who come to watch our shows. One irresponsible act by those who don't want the cultural exchange to happen can jeopardize the safety of thousands of people. I believe that breaking the cultural bond will only cause more harm, as these exchanges are much needed for people to move forward towards peace. So I am open to performing in India, as long as it's in the positive spirit,“ adds the singer.

INDIAN GOVERNMENT NEVER BANNED PAKISTANI ARTISTES, WHY SHOULD WE?: MAHESH BHATT
Bhatt, who has always been against the ban on Pakistani artistes in India, says it is high time efforts are made to revive cultural ties. “The Indian government never outlawed Pakistani nationals, so there is no official ban on them. After the Uri attack, the relationship between the two countries took an extreme turn. As storytellers, we should bring people together and create empathy, and that is what we are trying to do with this play. Iranian filmmaker Asghar Farhadi, who recently won an Oscar, said a very important and brave thing - 'Dividing the world into the 'us' and 'our enemies' creates fear, a deceitful justification for aggression and war',“ he says.

YOU CAN'T HAVE PAKISTAN EXPORTING TERROR AND INDIA IMPORTING THEIR TALENT: BJP SPOKESPERSON SHAINA NC
Bhatt's decision of roping in Shafqat has already invited criticism. BJP spokesperson Shaina NC says, “Peace initiatives are a good idea, but when cross-border terrorism continues to exist, we can't have Pakistan exporting terror and India importing their talent. There can't be selective isolation - cultural ties can't be viewed in isolation while ignoring the rest.“
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With inputs from Ranjit Kumar