Hours after Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Kiren Rijiju became the top trend in the social media for taking a potshot at filmmaker Anurag Kashyap, saying people use Prime Minister Narendra Modi's name to get into news, the former seems to have toned down his stance.
Earlier in the day, Rijiju wrote on Twitter: "A new fashion has developed in India. A student or a film person can put a question or speak against PM without any logic to get into news."
Filmmaker Anurag Kashyap had on Sunday waded into the row when he, in a series of Twitter posts, sought to know why only Indian filmmakers should be targeted for casting Pakistani actors when the prime minister too made a trip to Lahore last year.
The filmmaker wrote: "@narendramodi Sir you haven't yet said sorry for your trip to meet the Pakistani PM. It was dec 25th. Same time KJo was shooting ADHM? Why? @narendramodi why is it that we have to face it while you can be silent?"
Bringing into focus the money that the producers' would lose when a film's release is stalled, Kashyap said, "@narendramodi and you actually diverted your trip on our tax money, while the film shot then was on money on which someone here pays interest. @narendramodi I am just trying to understand the situation because I am actually dumb and I don't get it. Sorry if you feel offended... Btw Bharat Mata ki Jai Sir @narendramodi."
Kashyap, was trolled on Twitter and also received criticism from some members of the film industry over his comments, said he has every right to question the PM. Obviously, Rijiju felt otherwise.
On Monday evening, Rijiju took to Twitter once again to say, "In democratic India one can ask questions to PM or comments freely but better if it's with sense & without undermining our nation's prestige."
Karan Johar's Ae Dil Hai Mushkil has landed in soup over casting Pakistani actor Fawad Khan. In the aftermath of Uri attack last month, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena issued an ultimatum to Pakistani artistes to leave India. Subsequently, Indian Motion Pictures Producers Association passed a motion to ban the artistes from the neighbouring country.
Recently, Cinema Owners Exhibitors Association of India also decided to not screen the films with Pakistani actors in four states -- Maharashtra, Gujarat, Karnataka and Goa.
