No screening for films with Pak artistes: Theatre owners association

The Cinema Owners Exhibitors Association of India (COEAI) on Friday decided that films with Pakistani artistes will not be screened.

"We have decided that we will not screen these films (with Pakistani actors)," Nitin Datar, COEAI's president told a press conference.

COEAI's decision encompasses films that have Pakistani artistes as well as technicians associated with them in any capacity.

Earlier, the organisation had held a meeting where it was said that a decision in regard to the matter would be taken.

The decision would be affecting the release of the Karan Johar's 'Ae Dil Hai Mushkil', which stars Pakistani actor Fawad Khan and 'Raees' which features 33-year-old Mahira Khan as one of the characters.

The move comes days after the film wing of the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) had threatened Karan Johar and Mahesh Bhatt with 'a befitting response' if they work with or release films featuring Pakistani artists.

The film workers association of the Raj Thackeray-led party had recently set a 48-hour deadline for all Pakistani artists working in India to leave the country in the wake of the Uri terror attack.