Mumbai: Under pressure over opposition to the upcoming release of his film Ae Dil Hai Mushkil that features a Pakistani actor, director Karan Johar on Tuesday said he will not engage with talent from Pakistan in future and made a fervent appeal against stalling the blockbuster. Raj Thackeray-led MNS and some other political parties have opposed release of films with actors from Pakistan after the Uri terror attack, putting a question mark on the fate of Johar's movie, slated for a pre-Diwali release on October 28.

The Cinema Owners Exhibitors Association of India too decided not to screen films with Pakistani actors in four states - Maharashtra, Gujarat, Karnataka and Goa. In a short video statement, Johar, 44, said his country comes first for him and while he understands the sentiments, hampering the release of the movie will actually hurt 300 strong Indian crew of the movie.

"I understand the sentiments because I feel the same. Going forward, of course, I would like to say that I would not engage with the talent from the neighbouring country given the circumstance. But with that same energy I beseech you that over 300 Indians in my crew have put their blood, sweat and tears in my film 'Ae Dil Hai Mushkil' and I don't think it is fair to them to face any kind of turbulance on account of other fellow Indians," he said.

Johar said the country comes first to him and he has always kept that over and above everything, so, it is wrong to question his patriotism. Johar also said he stayed silent because he felt a deep sense of hurt and pain to be questioned about his patriotism.

“There has been some talk about why I have remained silent for past two weeks. Today I would like to clarify that the reason why I remained silent is because of the deep sense of hurt and pain that I felt. There are few people who actually believe that I am being anti-national. I need to say this and I say this with strength that for me my country comes first. Nothing else matters to me but my country. I have always felt that the best way to express your patriotism is to spread love and that's all I have ever tried to do through my work and my cinema,” he added.

PTI