Raees director Rahul Dholakia questions the ban on Pakistani actors as their cricketers visit India

On September 27, an important event happened. It took seven hard years for Pakistani cricketers to receive visas for India, and only then did the team arrive at Rajiv Gandhi International Airport in Hyderabad. For the first time since a ban was put in place in 2016 as a result of the Uri Attacks, Pakistanis are now permitted to enter the country. Now, 'Raees' director Rahul Dholakia is hoping that Pakistani actors and musicians would also be permitted to perform in the country.

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The director tweeted: "Now that Pakistani cricketers are officially here, can we also invite Pakistani actors to act in our films? Or musicians to perform?"

The 2017 film Raees, starring Shah Rukh Khan, was directed by Rahul Dholakia. Pakistani actor Mahira Khan made her Hindi film debut in this movie. However, due to a ban placed on Pakistani artists in India after the Uri terror assault, she was not permitted to promote the film in the country.

Bollywood banned Pakistani artists from performing after the Uri attack in 2016. After the 2019 Pulwama terror attack, the All Indian Cine Workers Association declared a complete ban on Pakistani artists. They had to be flown back as a result. Following it, no other Pakistani celebrity has visited the country before. The filmmaker also wants artists and performers to be able to work and perform in India as the Pakistan cricket team is now in the country. 

The statement in response to Pakistan’s own ban on Indian films read: “In relation to Pakistani government banning Indian movies in Pakistan AICWA (All Indian Cine Workers Association) urges all the film industries to put a complete stop to any association with Pakistani artists, musicians, and diplomats."

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