ADHM MNS ends protest, Raj Thackeray demands makers donate Rs 5 cr to army welfare fund

MNS ended their protest against 'Ae Dil Hai Mushkil' and 'Raees' on Saturday morning after a closed-door meeting between party supremo Raj Thackeray, Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis, Karan Johar, Mukesh Bhatt and others.

Claiming victory and satisfaction at having achieved their demands, Thackeray revealed that he has received assurances from the film industry that henceforth they wouldn't be working with any Pakistani actors. Raj also set forth conditions that filmmakers who worked with Pakistan actors will have to comply with.

Elaborating on what transpired in the early morning meet, he said, "In the meeting with Mukesh Bhatt and others, I told them when Pakistan wants, it releases our films when they don't want they ban our films and bans our channels. Then why are you time and again rolling out the red carpet for them? Is there any such really big star there that you have to take them in films here? No need of all these things."

As a solution to filmmakers who have worked with Pakistani actors in the past, the MNS chief had this to offer, "When CM asked me what solution could be offered, I told them before the start of the movie, they should put up a message slate saying that we are offering our respects and prayers to the URI martyrs and all those soldiers who lost their lives in earlier terror attacks and we salute our jawans. We will also need a written undertaking Producers Guild that they will not work with any Pakistani artistes, singers or technicians. So they have agreed. Apart from these, they will talk to the CM and decide how much money they will give. I have told them by way of penance, every producer who has worked with Pakistani artistes -- be it Shah Rukh Khan or Karan Johar -- they should give Rs 5 crore to the army welfare fund. They should hand over the cheque to Defence Minister Manohar Parikkar, click a picture and show it to people. Now how much money they will give is something they will tell the CM and then tell us."

Claiming victory and satisfaction at having achieved a victory, Raj said, "It's a victory of our protest that Pakistan actors will not work in our films anymore. From today they will not engage with Pak actors. Those who have already completed shooting that producer should atone. I also don't think the films that will have Pakistani actors people of India will go to watch it."

The politician also bashed the film industry for not understanding time and again why it is important to not have Pakistani actors in Indian cinema.

"MNS has many times protested against Pakistani artistes in the past but people from the film industry never understood. Now they will realise and understand. When the CM asked me if any solution was possible, I asked what solution could be offered when these people don't want to understand anything at all. We have tried telling them so many times but finally, it looks like they are only pretending to not understand. Uri attacks or Pathankot like attacks have been happening in India since long. Bomb blasts and many other attacks have happened in India many times."