Raees director Rahul Dholakia hopes Pakistani artists will be allowed to work in films after

Pakistan cricket team landed in India on September 27 amid heavy security for the ICC World Cup 2023. They were greeted with a heartwarming reception at Hyderabad airport. This is the first visit by Pakistan to India after the 2016 T-20 World Cup when a ban was imposed after the Uri terror attack which claimed the lives of 19 Indian soldiers.
Since the Pakistani cricket team is here after 7 years, Raees director Rahul Dholakia has now expressed his wish to invite Pakistani artists to act in Indian films.”Now that #Pakistani cricketers are officially here, can we also invite Pakistani actors to act in our films ? Or Musicians to perform?” he tweeted.

One of the major consequences of the Uri attack was the call to ban Pakistani artistes and performers from working in the Indian film and television industry. The primary argument behind this ban was that allowing Pakistani talent to work in India was seen as promoting cultural exchange and normalizing relations between the two countries, which many Indians felt was inappropriate in the wake of a terrorist attack.

Several Indian film associations and political groups called for a ban on Pakistani artists working in the Indian entertainment industry. Some prominent Indian filmmakers and actors also joined the debate, with some supporting the ban and others arguing for the importance of art and culture transcending political conflicts.
The ban led to several Pakistani actors and musicians leaving India or facing difficulties in securing work permits. Films that featured Pakistani actors such as Fawad Khan in Ae Dil Hai Mushkil and Mahira Khan in Raees, faced opposition and protests, with calls for boycotts and bans on their release.