'What kind of friendship is there with the enemy', tension between cultural relations and controversy over Pakistani artists, read the article

News Topical, Digital Desk : As a country, India's relations with Pakistan have never been friendly, but it is also true that being neighbours, formal relations have been maintained amidst this tension. Be it cricket or art. Since the cultural base of both the countries has been the same, cultural exchange has continued amidst all the tensions, not only in the form of cultural materials but also in the form of cultural persons.

Even an independent television channel focused on Pakistani content was started. It was India's effort to maintain cultural relations by ignoring all the ill-will of Pakistan that not only 'Henna' but also films like 'Veer Zara' and then 'Bajrangi Bhaijaan' were made. After which the doors of Hindi cinema were opened for Pakistani artists and the audience also welcomed them wholeheartedly.

Identity does not fade away

In fact, this is the specialty of art that when we come across it, there is no other basis to like or dislike it. While watching a movie, we cannot pay attention to the artist's nationality or his character or other things. If you listen to Ghulam Ali's ghazals, you connect only with his singing, not with his nationality. There is a difference between art and artist.

Art transcends all boundaries, but even if a person is an artist, he has boundaries. Art does not need a passport, but an artist does. While accepting art, we often forget that an artist is not an alien. He also has a country, a society, a caste, a religion. Dilip Kumar's films may have global appeal, but how can they be free from the identity of an Indian!

cleared up the misunderstanding

When we talk about artists and terrorists, we are reminded of 'Sarfarosh' starring Aamir Khan. Even after so many years, this film by John Mathew has hardly been forgotten by any Indian. In this story of a brave police officer, he exposes the criminal conspiracies being run in the country by the neighboring country. In this film, a world famous ghazal singer was identified as the leader of the terrorists. On the strength of his art, that singer strengthens his hold among the top personalities of the country and uses it for criminal conspiracies.

His gentle personality in public life and the facade of an artist do not make anyone doubt him. Of course, 'Sarfarosh' was a film, it told a story and we would always want it to remain a story, but this film also pointed out that by calling someone an artist, we cannot give him the status of being above the country and the world. The same thing has been said about artists that they are artists. What do they have to do with the politics of countries and in the blink of an eye, artists like Fawad Khan and Mahira Khan clear our misunderstanding that they are with every right and wrong of Pakistan and India is their enemy. In reality, due to our selfishness or so-called generosity, we do not want to accept this truth even after knowing it!

Opposition to intentions, not art

The ban on Pakistani artists is more practical than it is emotional. Today, when Pakistani artists are giving a large part of their Indian earnings to Pakistan in the form of tax and Pakistan is using it to strengthen the network of terrorists against India, then why not oppose this source of income. The problem is that our generosity has dulled our memory. Otherwise this third opportunity to ban would not have come.

Did Pakistan change after Uri and Pulwama? Then why was Fawad Khan cast in the film 'Abir-Gulaal'? It is difficult for us to believe this, but the truth is that opposing Pakistani artists is neither against art nor against brotherhood, it is against intentions.

Hatred is their crime

It is said that artists are not terrorists, then why are they punished? It is true that they are not terrorists, but they are citizens of a country which has clearly been involved in terrorist incidents. The hatred they expressed towards India on the internet media clearly shows that like any other common citizen, citizenship was their first priority. When Indian artists work abroad, can we accept that being so-called artists, they should not talk about the interests of India?

Then why do we expect Pakistani citizens like Fawad Khan, Ali Zafar or Mahira Khan to speak against their country? Actually, banning a Pakistani artist is our normal reaction to a country that has left no stone unturned to keep us restless for 77 years. We have no tools to check how far someone can go in the interest of their country, so the natural reaction is that either you get rid of the attachment to your country like Adnan Sami or openly stand with your country.

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