With the ban on Pakistani artistes in India reigniting tensions between the two neighbouring nations, recent developments have proven that things have taken up quite a political turn in the media industry as well.
Reportedly, given the recent situation, Pakistani singer Atif Aslam has been refusing requests to promote his latest song ‘Sehmi Hai Dhadkan’ from the upcoming Bollywood film Daas Dev.
“Atif said he will do it, but it hasn’t been done. I’m not sure why he isn’t taking part in the activity, but, as a producer, I see that work promised hasn’t been executed,†producer Sanjeev Kumar said in a statement.
‘Sehmi Hai Dhadkan’ is a song from Sudhir Mishra’s film which is a contemporary take on Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay’s novel Devdas.
Previously, singer-turned-politician Babul Supriyo asked for a ban on Pakistani artistes working in Bollywood. He had also objected to the inclusion of Pakistan singer Rahat Fateh Ali Khan’s voice in Sonakshi Sinha’s film Welcome To New York.
“Normally, such statements are made by fringe groups. When a minister says it, it leaves an impact on more people. But we needed Atif for this song. He has 20 million followers on social media,†the producer added. “Imagine the kind of traction we would have got had he promoted it.â€
We contacted Atif Aslam about the development. However, he was unavailable for comment.
Daas Dev stars Richa Chadha, Aditi Rao-Hydari and Rahul Bhat. It is scheduled to hit the screens on March 23.
