Several Pakistani artistes working in Bollywood have returned after hardliners in India gave a 48-hour deadline to all the neighbouring country celebrities to leave India in the aftermath of Uri attack.
Sources told BBC Urdu on condition of anonymity that this was the first time Pakistani celebrities had faced such a strong reaction from a nationalist party in India.
Sources said that the Pakistani celebrities were asked to leave India due to security fears. They added that Indian filmmakers had faced opposition from several nationalist groups over working with their Pakistani counterparts.
“Most of the Pakistani celebrities have returned home from India. They have been advised by their directors and producers to remain silent on the issue as they might face negative public reaction.”
The Raj Thackeray-led Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) had given a 48-hour ultimatum to Pakistani actors and musicians to leave in the wake of Uri attack.
Prominent Pakistani celebrities, including Ali Zafar, Fawad Khan, Mahira Khan and Imran Abbas, who were busy filming their upcoming projects, have reportedly returned.
It may be mentioned that an entertainment channel of India, Zee Zindagi, had refused to air Pakistani content. The development came following the attack on an army base of Uri sector in Indian-held Kashmir.