Thackeray Raj: Rs 5 cr for Army as ‘penance’

Shiv Kumar

Tribune News Service

Mumbai, October 22

Raj Thackeray and his Maharashtra Navnirman Sena have called off the ban on Karan Johar’s Ae Dil Hai Mushkil after Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis brokered a truce between the two this morning.

As per norms of the truce, the opening credits of the film will carry a message condoling the deaths of the Indian soldiers killed by Pakistan-based terrorists at Uri. Johar and other filmmakers who had cast Pakistani actors would also have to pay Rs 5 crore to the Army Welfare Fund as “penance”, Thackeray said at a press conference, calling off the ban on the film due to be released on Friday next.

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Thackeray said the film producers would have to give in writing that they would not cast Pakistani actors in their productions in future. “While Pakistan bans Indian content, why do we give them a red carpet?” asked Thackeray.

Earlier in the day, the Ae Dil Hai Mushkil team, led by Karan Johar, and Mukesh Bhatt of the Film Producers Guild met Fadnavis and promised not to work with Pakistani artistes in future. Thackeray was also present.

Later, Bhatt said the film would be released as per schedule. “I shared the film industry’s emotions regarding the entire issue. We are Indians first and then comes our business,” he said.

Bhatt said the Producers Guild would soon call a meeting and pass a resolution on not working with Pakistanis. 

While the Opposition hit out at Fadnavis for making the state bow before MNS,  the Chief Minister said, “I do not think what Thackeray was demanding and what the Producers Guild voluntarily offered was something different.”