Team Neemopani
It is said that Pakistani star Mahira Khan is in talks to make her Malayalam film debut in the much-anticipated L2: Empuraan. News18 and Free Press Journal say that Mahira is thinking about playing a key part opposite Malayalam superstar Mohanlal in the follow up to the hit movie Lucifer now that the Bombay High Court has lifted the ban on Pakistani artists.
The head of L2: Empuraan, Director Prithviraj Sukumaran, has not publicly responded to the rumors that Mahira might be involved with the project. Though, there is some talk because Prithviraj, his wife Supriya Menon, and Mahira, who is married to Salim Karim, are very close friends. A picture of a group from a trip to the Maldives that went popular added to the rumors.
In an earlier interview with a local network, the superstar talked about how much she loved Malayalam movies and encouraged her fans and friends to check out the genre. She said that she wanted to work in the Malayalam film business because of the stories, acting, and production values of the movies.
In the interview, the star even made it clear that she was talking about Malayalam movies only, not Tamil or Telugu movies. There are rumors that Mahira’s first movie in Malayalam would be L2: Empuraan, which is both a prequel and a sequel to the very popular Lucifer.
#MahiraKhan talking about Malayalam cinema ❤️ and she also mentions in passing, how she met Prithviraj. https://t.co/6gL4lyAuey pic.twitter.com/Yk68y8Qdtp
— ☽ (@aestheticallyFM) September 1, 2023
L2: Mohanlal, Manju Warrier, Indrajith Sukumaran, Tovino Thomas, Sai Kumar, Baiju Santhosh, and Shivaji Guruvayoor are said to be in the ensemble cast of Empuraan. The movie, which was made by Aashirvad Cinemas and Lyca Productions together, is sure to get a lot of attention since Mahira might be entering the exciting world of Malayalam film.
Up until seven years ago, Pakistan and India had a lot of cultural trade, which gave many people hope that art could bring people together. From the huge success of Atif Aslam’s Bollywood work to the famous Naseeruddin Shah’s part in Shoaib Mansoor’s 2007 movie Khuda Kay Liye, artists have long pushed for good relations between countries that are close by.
After the attack on the Indian army base in Uri in 2016, the Indian Motion Picture Producers Association (IMPPA) banned Pakistani actors and professionals from working in India. They did this because they thought Pakistan was responsible for the attack, which ended many good relationships.
Indian media said that the Bombay High Court recently turned down a plea to stop Pakistani artists from working or performing in India. According to Livemint, Faaiz Anwar Qureshi, who calls himself a filmmaker and artist, started the legal petition. It asked the Indian government to stop all business relationships with artists from Pakistan.
The letter specifically asked that Indian citizens and businesses be not allowed to hire, seek work from, or work together with Pakistani film workers, musicians, singers, lyricists, and technicians. The division bench, which was made up of Justices Sunil Shukre and Firdosh Pooniwalla, flatly turned down the plea. The court said that such a move would be backwards in terms of promoting traditional unity and harmony, both inside India and across the border with Pakistan.
As reported by Indian media, the court also said that being hostile to foreigners, especially those from nearby countries, is not a sign of loyalty. “A real patriot is someone who cares about his country and doesn’t care about themselves. He can’t be this if he isn’t good at heart.” What it said was that “a good person would welcome in his country any activity that promotes peace, harmony, and tranquility within the country and across the border.” This was reported by Indian news wires.
“One must understand that in order to be a patriot, one need not be inimical to those from abroad especially, from the neighbouring country,” the court stated. To show how the arts can bring people together, the bench said that things like music, sports, culture, and dance can be enjoyed by people from all over the world. They said that these kinds of events are very important for bringing people together and keeping the peace between countries.
