Veteran actor Prakash Raj, who is known for his strong opinions, recently opened up about Pakistani actor Fawad Khan and Vaani Kapoor's 'Abir Gulaal' not being allowed to be released in India in the backdrop of the tragic Pahalgam terror incident in Jammu and Kashmir.
In an interview with The Lallantop, Prakash Raj said he is opposed to banning any film, including such films with controversial contents. However, the actor said he's not opposed to ban on films involving child sexual abuse or pornography.
He further added that people should have the freedom to watch all films and express their own opinions.
This statement comes at a time when the Hindi film 'Abir Gulaal', starring Pakistani actor Fawad Khan and Vaani Kapoor, has been stopped from releasing in India. The romantic-comedy film was set to hit theatres on May 9. The decision to stay the release came after the terror attack in Pahalgam, Kashmir, where over 26 tourists were killed, leading to nationwide anger.
'Abir Gulaal' is directed by Aarti S Bagdi and produced by Indian Stories in collaboration with A Richer Lens and Aarjay Pictures.
Prakash Raj also voiced his concern over the rising trend of films getting banned or censored following public backlash. He said, “Public sentiments are getting hurt at the drop of a hat.” He named films such as 'Padmaavat', 'Pathaan', 'L2: Empuraan', and 'Abir Gulaal' as examples.
While speaking about the controversy around the Malayalam film 'L2: Empuraan', he questioned the government, saying, “'The Kashmir Files' releases without trouble. Others? Not so lucky," adding growing intolerance and added, “When too much power is given to anyone, they become intolerable.”