According to Indian media sources, Pakistani singing icon Atif Aslam’s latest music video ‘Pehli Dafa’, starring Bollywood actor Illeana D’Cruz, has not gone down too well with India’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
There are reports that the BJP has condemned T-Series, the music label which produced the video.
The crew involves people from borh sides. Atif Aslam is not the only Pakistani involved with the video – which has been shot in a foreign location; the video director and composer Shiraz Uppal and lyricist Shakeel Sohail.
Bollywood has placed an 'unofficial ban' on Pakistani artists to enter for performing in India, following escalation in tensions between the two neighbouring countries post-Uri attack.
Earlier this week the BJP also opposed nominations of Pakistani artists in the Filmfare Awards.
“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,” said BJP spokesperson Shaina NC.
Pakistani actor Fawad Khan is nominee for a Filmfare Award for his role in Kapoor & Sons. Singer Atif Aslam has been nominated in the Best Playback Singer (male) category and will be up against fellow Pakistani Rahet Fateh Ali. Qurat-ul-Ain Balouch has also been nominated in the Best Playback Singer (female) category.
Meanwhile India’s rightwing political party Shiv Sena has also allegedly issued threats against the screening of Shah Rukh Khan and Mahira Khan’s film ‘Raees’.
