With India-Pakistan relations thawing down after a harsh few months of hostilities, it seems that Bollywood is still the front that has remained mired in controversy over the artiste-banning conundrum. No, we’re not talking about Raees anymore as it’s finally releasing (we have reason to believe), but what the Sufi maestro Rahat Fateh Ali Khan has finally opened up and said.
In a conversation with Huffington Post India, the singer broke his silence over being ‘banned’ by various sub-groups in the film industry, which of course was as colossal for him as it was for actors like Fawad Khan.
Commenting on the ban on him and other Pakistani artistes, the singer said,
“Art should always unite, never become the reason to divide. Yes, you can impose a ban on an artist and stop him from coming to your country, but you’ll never be able to suppress the voice of an artist. If he or she is a true artist who emotes from his heart, his voice will travel far and wide, no matter the circumstances. You cannot stop music from traveling and connecting people. It carries an eternal truth with it.â€
Holding true in Khan’s case, the singer remains hopeful, as his latest song ‘Saware’ featuring Bollywood actor Kunal Khemu released worldwide, after being shot in Lucknow, India last summer.
“It was an immensely satisfying experience to sing this song. It was shot in Lucknow in June last year where it was extremely hot — about 45 degrees. But we managed and the result is splendid,†Khan said.
