Pak artists' issue: MNS stages protests outside Karan Johar's office

Director-producer Karan Johar had to bear the wrath of MNS activists' anger as they staged a protest outside his production house on Tuesday.  Within days of issuing an ‘ultimatum’ to Pakistani film artists to leave the country, MNS criticized Karan Johar for advocating their stay in India. However, the police have arrested 15 people in this case.

The demonstration was held in front of Johar’s Dharma Production office, whose ‘Ae Dil Hai Mushkil’ has a special appearance by Pakistani heartthrob Fawad Khan. The MNS has been venting its ire on Pakistani actors and artists in India and also the producers casting them in their projects, following the Uri terror attack, which left 18 soldiers dead.It has also raised a flag against Shah Rukh Khan starrer “Raees” in which Pakistani actress Mahira Khan is playing the female lead.According to Amboli police, around 15 MNS workers were arrested after they began protesting and raising slogans against Pakistani artists in the office premises of Johar at Veera Desai Road in suburban Andheri.They were arrested under Section 68 of Mumbai Police Act.

These were preventive arrests and they were liable to be granted bail after warning, said Senior Police Inspector Bharat Gaikwad.Notably, police had served notice to MNS’ Chitrapat Kamgar Sena (Films wing) president Amey Khopkar under section 149 on Sunday after he and party general secretary Shalini Thackeray gave an ultimatum to Pakistani actors and artists to leave the country within 48 hours.Defending the protest, Shalini said her party will not allow the release of Johar’s film.

“Karan Johar, who has made the film ‘Ae Dil Hai Mushkil’, had recently said that Pakistani actors should not be prohibited from working in India. We wish to remind him that Indians see his movies that result in him earning crores of rupees. If he survives on Indians’ money, how can he not respect the feelings of his fellow Indians?,” she said in a statement.“We strongly condemn Karan Johar’s point of view that banning Pakistani actors and artistes would not solve the problem of terrorism. How can he give such an immature and a shallow statement? Our party workers will not allow the release of his film come what may,” Thackeray claimed.