This is an archived blog post from The Acorn.
“We had 50 years of enmity between us. Let us give peace a chance,” Urmila told rediff.com in an earlier interview, prior to the release of her Partition drama Pinjar.
I appreciate the sentiment Ms Matondkar, but I never sent jehadis into Pakistan to shoot down their civilians or soldiers; neither did any extremist group in my country promise to hoist the tri-color on Lahore’s fort; and as you may be aware, neither did I burn down cinemas and video libraries that carried Pakistani movies. Why dont you drop that apologetic air which you displayed in Pakistan and tell them what you are telling me.
Suniel Shetty, however, is on different trip. He is planning to have a cricket match between the Indian and Pakistani actors for the charity of IIFA (International Indian Film Awards).
“This match is awaiting clearance from the government of India. If we get it, we will have a match with Pakistani film stars,” said Shetty
The actor added the match would be held at a neutral place like Abu Dhabi. “Fifty per cent of the proceeds of the match will be given to IIFA and the rest will go to the welfare of cricketer-turned-politician Imran Khan’s Cancer hospital,” adds Shetty.Well, Mr Shetty, maybe you will also ask the famous resident of Clifton, Karachi to be kind enough to fix the match. Either way you are welcome to play the match in Pakistan if you think you’ll be back with all those muscles of yours in the appropriate anatomical postion. Does your IIFA really require a cricket match with Pakistan to raise funds? Besides did you know what the honourable Mr Imran Khan said in parliament a couple of weeks ago
Blasting the government for pursuing the direction-less policies he said that the present government is lackey of the US. ” We have no policy of our own. Our government is licking the feet of Vajpayee. He underlined that if we cannot free Kashmir through war and are helpless to send Jehadis in Kashmir, then we should seek resolution of Kashmir issue around the negotiating table without budging from our stated position. Pak Tribune
Producer Mukesh Bhatt flew down Pakistan-based singer Amir Jamal to Mumbai. The purpose was to make Jamal sing a song in his latest film Murder, featuring Malika Sherawat, Ashmit Patel and Imran Hashmi.
“When Mahesh and I heard his voice, we decided that we should bring this man to Mumbai,” says Bhatt.
“There is good talent on both sides of the border. We must come together for a better future. It is time the Berlin wall between both the countries disappeared,” he concludesBut Mr Bhatt, you have just proved that there is no wall against a Pakistani artist who wants to perform in India.
No, it is not that Indians should not reach out to Pakistanis at all. But how Indians carry themselves is very important. Scoring brownie points with the Pakistani public a la Urmila will only convey an impression that India’s aggressive designs are the main reason for the tension. These naive celebrities do not understand the diet of anti-India propaganda the Pakistani people have been raised on. Taking the apologetic line will certainly not steer the Pakistanis towards a better understanding of their neighbour.
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