'Beef guy' from Peshawar is all praises for a Pakistan movie and why it is hardly surprising

New Delhi, Dec 12: Bollywood has on many occasions showered love and praise for Pakistan, despite the fact that Islamabad and Rawalpindi continue to fund and aid terror in India which has resulted in the loss of several lives of our country-men. The Mumbai 26/11 attack or the strike at Pulwama were all acts by Pakistan in which scores of lives of innocents and brave jawans were lost.

Now Bollywood actor, Ranbir Kapoor is back at it again. This time he was heard praising the Pakistan film The Legend of Maula Jatt. While congratulating the Pakistan film industry at the Red Sea Film Festival, he said that there are no boundaries for arts. The response came when he was asked if he was okay with working with Pakistani crew. Ranbir has previously starred in a film called Ae Dil Hai Mushkil with Pakistani actor, Fawad Khan.

Following the release of the movie, many political outfits such as the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena had in 2016 sought a ban on Pakistani actors and artistes working in the Indian film industry. The call for a ban came in the wake of the Pakistan sponsored Uri attack in which scores of Indian brave soldiers were killed. India hit back Pakistan with the surgical strike in which the Indian soldiers destroyed many terror launch pads while killing several Pakistani terrorists.

Ban on Indian films:

While India is clear that none of the Pakistani artists can work in Indian films until the country stops funding terror, the government of Pakistan too had placed a ban on the release of Indian films.

In the year 2019, a ban was placed on Indian films in Pakistan. The issue of an Indian film being released in Pakistan had come up when the makers of the flop movie starring Aamir Khan Lal Singh Chadhha wanted to release the same in that country. A report had said that Saad Baig the General Manager of Cinepax Media Group had submitted an NOC for the movie to the Information Ministry. However the Central Board of Film Certification and Sindh Board of Film Certification had denied any such Indian release in Pakistan. Our policy is the same and no Indian film or any project produced in India will be released in the country, the report said while quoting sources.

Living in harmony?

Bollywood artists such as Ranbir Kapoor who is incidentally the son-in-law of Mahesh Bhatt whose son was questioned in connection with the Mumbai 26/11 attack feels that all should live in harmony. The question is why is the onus on India for this. India was never placed on the grey list of the Financial Action Task Force for terror funding. India is not the one who funds terror. India does not stage attacks to target the Pakistan establishment.

Hence the question of praising a Pakistan film or speaking up for the need to work with Pakistani actors is mind-boggling and mind-numbing. India in fact has on several occasions and at multiple forums called on Pakistan to shun terror and walk the path of peace. However for decades, Pakistan has only had one single agenda and that is to bleed India with a thousand cuts.

One should also take into account that 40 braves were killed in Pulwama by a Pakistan sponsored terrorist of the Jaish-e-Mohammad. 16 Indian soldiers lost their lives in the Uri attack. 160 innocent lives were lost in the Mumbai 26/11 attack which was carried out by Pakistan's proxy, Lashkar-e-Tayiba. Hence the question for Mahesh Bhatt's son-in-law is do we need to praise the country which wants to bleed us with a thousand cuts?

Bollywood and Mahesh Bhatt:

Many in Bollywood have sided with Pakistan and even mocked India. Richa Chadha had recently posted an extremely insensitive post mocking the Indian Army. When the Army had said that it would take back Pakistan occupied Kashmir, if the government decides, she had said, 'Galwan says hi.' Galwan is the place where several Indian soldiers lost their lives following a bloody scuffle with the Chinese PLA.

Ranbir's father-in-law Mahesh Bhatt has at the receiving end several times for his anti-India and pro-Pakistan comments. His son, Rahul Bhatt had in a 2021 interview said that he was never treated like a son and his father wanted to name him Mohammad. It was his neighbours who requested his anglo-Indian mother not to name him Mohammad.

Bollywood and Pakistan:

A report had listed out the Bollywood stars who want to go to Pakistan.

The report names Salman Khan and Kareena Kapoor Khan had expressed their desire to go to Pakistan during the promotion of their film Bajrangi Bhaijaan. The report also said that even Shahrukh Khan had once said that he wants to take his kids to Peshawar. The report also quoted Aamir Khan who is learnt to have said that he may be Raja Hindustani, but his heart beats for Pakistan.

Beef guy's ancestral link to Pakistan

To be sure Ranbir Kapoor's grandfather Raj Kapoor had his ancestral home in Qissa Khwani Bazar, Pakistan. The house was built by Raj Kapoor's grandfather Dewan Basheswarnath Kapoor. Raj Kapoor and his uncle Trilok Kapoor were born in the building. Last year the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provincial government approved the purchase of the ancestral home. Incidentally the government at that time also approved the purchase of Mohammad Yusuf better known as Dilip Kumar's home in Pakistan.

Prior to the release of his film Brahmastra, Ranbir Kapoor was trolled severely. In 2011 during the promotion of his film Rockstar, he had in an interview spoken about his love for beef. "My family is from Peshawar, so a lot of Peshawari food has come with them. I am a mutton, paya, and beef fan. Yeah, I am a big beef fan," he had said.