Filmfare Awards Nominations For Pakistani Actors?

The Filmfare awards nominations are just out. A lot of  eyebrows have shot up at at least three Pakistani names in the list. 

Fawad Khan for his performance in Shakun Batra’s Kapoor & Sons, and two singers Rahat Fateh Ali Khan and Atif Aslam have  been short-listed. All richly deserved. But isn’t the honour shamefully ill-timed?

A  prominent filmmaker whose films have a staggering number of awards in the past ,says he will neither attend nor accept any awards at a function where Pakistani artistes are welcome.

“It’s a matter of selfrespect. We are not welcome in Pakistan. They brutally kill and maim our soldiers.And we behave as if our cinema can’t do without their  artistes? Kuch toh sharm karo,” says the  filmmaker.

One wonders how the Pakistani nominees intend  to attend  the awards as there is an unofficial ban on their entry in India.

Says the BJP spokesperson Shaina NC, “Relations with Pakistan have deteriorated to such an extent that there is a move now to declare Pakistan a terror state on an international level. Given the current crisis I don’t think we can have Pakistani artistes coming here.”