Call it the economics of the industry talking, but Karan Johar has eventually broken silence on release of his film Ae Dil Hai Mushkil. Johar seems to have succumbed to the pressure of the jingoistic and chest-thumping warriors in the wake of the release of his film. Previously, he shared that artists should be kept out of politics, but in a recent statement, the director said he wouldn’t “engage” with Pakistani talent under the current circumstances. He had earlier pleaded that his movie should have been allowed to release since it production was completed before the situation between the two countries worsened. Moreover, there was no time to replace Fawad Khan in the film. The axe might fall on the Mahira Khan starrer Raees though, as media reports suggest that she might be replaced in the movie despite the completion of the project. Through a video message, Johar stated that he puts his country before everything and saluted the Indian army. Johar went on to say that Ae Dil Hai Mushkil was shot last year when relations between Pakistan and India were relatively peaceful, and suggested that he wouldn’t work with Pakistani talent anymore because of the rising tension. But he pleaded with the people and concerned authorities that over 300 Indian people in his crew had put their blood, sweat and tears in the film and it wouldn’t be fair to them to face any kind of turbulence. Firstly, if the movie is not allowed a screening in India, it would not only cause a loss to the producers, but it will be a loss as a whole for a developing economy that aspires to be a regional as well as a global power. Johar has not given this patriotic statement just to prove his love for his country; it is in response to some virulent hyper nationalists who questioned his patriotism. The situation in a secular, emerging power can be gauged from the fact that a person has to speak out loud in media to prove that he is not anti-India. Secondly, the organisations like Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) cannot dictate the future of a whole nation; this is an organisation that is not in power even in its stronghold of Maharashtra. While the Indian government, as well as jingoistic people, blame everything on external elements for extremism and terrorism, they should also realise the presence of such elements in their own backyard. Being a secular and modern democracy, India could have become a role model for the whole region, but the presence of such elements and ignorance on the part of authorities has damaged its democratic progress, posing serious questions for the secular democracy that India claims to be. Lastly, even at the height of Cold War, the exchange of artists, sportspersons and other professionals was not stopped between the USA and the USSR. While the issue of cricket is still debatable, as the governments of Pakistan and India are involved, artists should not have been made to face such problems where they needed to explain their patriotism for their respective countries. *