News Desk |
In her recent interview with BBC Asian Network, Bollywood actress Sonam Kapoor opened up about the unpleasant circumstances unfolding post abrogation of Article 370 and 35-A, and her connection to Pakistan.
The Kashmir situation on the Indian-administered side continues to divide people, including in Bollywood.
Actress Sonam Kapoor has been speaking to us about it and says it's upsetting because of her family's links to the region. pic.twitter.com/Uz5Leujiaz
— BBC Asian Network (@bbcasiannetwork) August 15, 2019
Sonam Kapoor gave thoughtful statements regarding the Kashmir issue, the simmering tensions between India and Pakistan, and the imposition of ban on the sales of Indian movies in Pakistan. In her interview, she expressed her disappointment over not being able to explore her cultural roots due to the ongoing unrest between the two countries.
Roots in Pakistan
When asked about her connections from Pakistan, Sonam Kapoor stated that she is half-Sindhi and half- Pathan. “I am half Sindhi and half Peshawari. It’s heartbreaking to see part of my culture is something that I can’t explore as well because of that,” stated the actress.
She also shared how she was named Sonam.
“My name is Sonam. I was named after my parents went to Kashmir and were there for a while,” she revealed. “They were shooting for Ram Lakhan and they decided to name me from there. I still haven’t been there since because of the unrest.”
The fact that they didn’t show the film there was heartbreaking for me. I have a huge Pakistani following and my two best friends are Muslims and half Pakistanis.
Unlike other Bollywood celebrities who have often advocated for an armed settlement of the Kashmir issue, Sonam vouched for a peaceful solution of the crisis.
Kapoor then added, “I hope there is a peaceful way of working things out. I don’t know how that’s possible but I think there should be because it’s a beautiful place but I think it’s been under so much duress. I don’t think anybody knows who is right now. I don’t think they know who’s right.”
Kashmir Issue
Sonam Kapoor expressed her remorse over the gloomy circumstances in Kashmir, however, refrained from passing political judgments on the issue. Perhaps she did not want to be dragged into the controversy. Sonam Kapoor asserted that she will only comment on the situation after being fully informed with the facts.
“It’s heartbreaking to see where the situation has landed right now and I’m very patriotic,” the actor began. “So I think for me it’s better to keep quiet and let this pass because even this too shall pass.”
Read more: Armeena Khan asks UNICEF to take action against Priyanka Chopra
Talking about the history between India and Pakistan, Kapoor asserted, “I think our countries were one country like 70 years ago and the fact that there is so much divisive politics at play is heart-breaking.”
She continued, “I think it’s very complicated and I don’t understand it as much because there is so much contrasting and contrary news everywhere, so I don’t know what the truth is.”
Bollywood actress Sonam Kapoor “heartbroken” over Pakistan’s ban on Bollywoodhttps://t.co/UK8Xd9wkSO#Bollywood #BollywoodActress #sonamkapoor
— The Online News (@TheOnlineNews1) August 16, 2019
Kapoor added she would comment on the matter once she has a better understanding of the ongoing situation. “I believe in having a peaceful discourse and understanding what’s going on. So when I have the complete information is when I think I can give an opinion.”
Ban on Sales of Indian Movies
Kapoor expressed her remorse over Pakistan’s decision of barring the sales and exhibition of Indian movies in Pakistan. She said that it will strongly impact her fans in Pakistan. She asserted that she has two best friends that are Muslims and half-Pakistanis.
“As an artist, you want to be represented everywhere and you want your work to be shown everywhere,” the actor remarked. “Neerja wasn’t shown in Pakistan, even though it was a true story because the plane landed in Karachi and the hijack happened in Karachi, and it didn’t in any way show Pakistan in a negative light at all.”
Read more: PEMRA bans Indian advertisements, cracks down on Indian movies sales
She shared, “The fact that they didn’t show the film there was heartbreaking for me. I have a huge Pakistani following and my two best friends are Muslims and half Pakistanis.”
Sonam Kapoor adopted a mild tone while addressing challenging questions on the precarious political relations between the two countries. In contrast to Sonam Kapoor, several Bollywood celebrities have taken a vindictive approach against Pakistan, the recent case of Priyanka Chopra, who snubbed a Pakistani girl for calling her out on pro-war tweets despite being a global peace ambassador.