Ranbir Kapoor clarifies statement about wanting to work in Pakistani films: ‘Art is not..’

Actor Ranbir Kapoor drew a lot of criticism last year after he said that he has no qualms about working with a Pakistani filmmaker. His statement at the Red Sea International Film Festival in Saudi Arabia had irked a section of netizens who called him ‘unpatriotic.’ Now, the actor, who is awaiting the release of his film ‘Tu Jhoothi Main Makkaar, has addressed the controversy at an promotional event.
Ranbir feels his statement was ‘misconstrued’ and it was not controversial in the first place.

He said, ‘I think yeh thoda mera statement misconstrue ho gaya tha. (I think my statement was misconstrued). I had gone to a film festival and there were a lot of Pakistani filmmakers asking me this question, ‘If you’ve got a good subject would you do it?’ So, I didn’t want it to be controversial in any way.’

The actor added, ‘I don’t think itni bhi badi controversy hui. (It was not a big controversy) But, for me, films are films, art is art. I have worked with Fawad (Khan) in Ae Dil Hai Mushkil. I have known a lot of artists from Pakistan. Rahat (Fateh Ali Khan) and Atif Aslam are such great singers who used to contribute to Hindi cinema. So, cinema is cinema. I don’t think cinema sees boundaries.’

He concluded, ‘But, of course, you have to respect art but at the same time art is not bigger than your country. So, anybody who is not on good terms with your country, your first priority will always be your country.’

At the Red Sea International Film Festival, when a Pakistani filmmaker asked him if he would work with a Pakistani team, the actor replied, ‘Of course, sir. I think there are no boundaries for artistes, especially for arts.’

Following the 2016 Uri attacks, India imposed an informal ban on Pakistani artists.

Ranbir Kapoor’s romantic comedy ‘Tu Jhoothi Main Makkaar’, directed by Luv Ranjan, will release in theatres on March 8. After this, he will be seen in Sandeep Reddy Vanga’s crime-thriller ‘Animal’.

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