‘Ae Dil Hai Mushkil’, ‘Raees’ Don’t Seem To Get Out Of Rough Patch

Updated : October 14, 2016 08:04 PM IST

It seems like Bollywood movies these days are less in news for their plot and more for controversies, the word frequently served from the entertainment industry to cine lovers. Shah Rukh Khan’s much-hyped ‘Raees’ and Ranbir Kapoor’s much-awaited ‘Ae Dil Hai Mushkil’ are the latest films from Hindi cinema to have been gripped by controversy for having Pakistani artistes in their respective star cast. Well, the members of the Cinema Owners Exhibitors Association of India (COEAI) recently had a meeting and if media reports are to go by, people supporting the release of the two long-anticipated movies might have a reason to be disheartened.

Reportedly, COEAI has made up its mind and decided not to screen any movie starring Pakistani artistes. The decision applies to single-screen theatres in four states: Maharashtra, Gujarat, Goa and parts of Karnataka. The news was further confirmed by ANI, which took Twitter to write, “We have decided that we will not screen these films(with Pak actors): Nitin Datar,Cinema Owners Association”.

We have decided that we will not screen these films(with Pak actors): Nitin Datar,Cinema Owners Association
— ANI (@ANI_news) October 14, 2016

undefined src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" > Datar, who is the president of COEAI, was also quoted as saying, “Keeping in mind the patriotic feeling and the national interest in mind, we request all our member exhibitors to refrain from screening movies which have involvement of any Pakistani artists, technicians, directors, music directors, etc. Till the relation between India and Pakistan becomes normal, no films with Pakistani actors can be released”.

Karan Johar directorial ‘Ae Dil Hai Mushkil’, which stars Ranbir, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Anushka Sharma and Pakistani actor Fawad Khan, is not far from its release date, October 28. Rahul Dholakia directorial ‘Raees’ stars Shah Rukh and Pakistani actress and former VJ Mahira Khan and is expected to release next year on the occasion of Republic Day.