Veteran actor Anupam Kher put up a tweet yesterday announcing the release of The Accidental Prime Minister (2019) in Pakistan. He also put up a list of theatres, urging people in the neighbouring country to watch his film.
He wrote, “#TheAccidentalPrimeMinister releases in Pakistan today. Here is the list of theatres. @TAPMofficial.”
This led to trolling on social media as he was one of the few Indian artistes to take a stand against Pakistani artistes working in India following the Uri attack in September 2016.
The Accidental Prime Minister review: Manmohan Singh deserves more than to be a caricature in a poorly crafted film
Speaking at an event in September 2016, Kher had said, “There are some really nice people in Pakistan, they are great hosts. I once went to Karachi and the experience was beautiful. But when it comes to my country and jawans, I cannot be diplomatic. What will I tell the mother of that jawan? That let’s give art and culture more importance? That’s not possible.”
Interestingly, Ashoke Pandit, the co-producer of The Accidental Prime Minister, was one of the members of the Indian Motion Pictures Producers Association (IMPPA) that had slammed Pakistani artistes and banned them from performing in India. “IMPPA paid homage to the martyrs who were killed in Uri. It therefore felt its responsibility towards the nation and passed a resolution banning Pakistani actors and technicians in India till normalcy returns. For IMPPA, nation comes first,” he had said.
Remaining Silent on the act of terrorism by your country is also a form of terrorism. @BeingSalmanKhan Sir.
— Ashoke Pandit (@ashokepandit) September 30, 2016
If Pak.performers can’t identify with the pain of Our country which has given them so much,then they hv no right 2 be here.@BeingSalmanKhan
— Ashoke Pandit (@ashokepandit) September 30, 2016
Pandit had also slammed Salman Khan on Twitter that year who had supported Pakistani artistes working in India. By indirectly labelling Pakistani artistes as terrorists, Pandit wrote to Salman on Twitter, “Remaining Silent on the act of terrorism by your country is also a form of terrorism. @BeingSalmanKhan Sir. If Pak.performers can’t identify with the pain of Our country which has given them so much,then they hv no right 2 be here.@BeingSalmanKhan.”
The Accidental Prime Minister was released in India on 11 January and the film hasn’t performed well at the box office.