Pakistani actor Iftikhar Thakur's attempt to ‘clarify' anti-India remark backfires: ‘No dearth of talent in Punjab'

Indian Express

12-05-2025

Days after facing backlash from the Punjabi film industry over his anti-India comments, Pakistani actor Iftikhar Thakur has landed in yet another controversy after an attempt to clarify his previous statement led to further outrage and calls to boycott him.
Music director and singer Ravinder Singh Ranguwal said, 'With such repeated statements, I don't think he can ever make a comeback in the Punjabi film industry. It's time to stop acknowledging him. His every clarification is more inflammatory than the last. Who is he to speak about India and Punjab like this? We are proud Indians.'
Speaking on a podcast, Thakur said, 'I want to clear one confusion — I don't consider Charda Punjab (Punjab in India) as part of India. Eastern Punjab is like my elder brother. That is one Punjab, this is another, but it is all one Punjab. A big brother is a fatherly figure,' he said.
'I heard many of them from Charda Punjab even abused me, but I accept all that from a big brother wholeheartedly,' he added, and referred to a saying about how a father's scolding and ghee splashes are both intense but ultimately not hurtful.
Thakur said his previous statement was aimed at the Indian government, particularly over threats of cutting off Pakistan's water supply. 'The war is still on,' he said, adding that Muslims are the flag-bearers of humanity. The clip began circulating widely on social media on Sunday.
Noted literary figure and former president of the Punjabi Sahitya Academy, Gurbhajan Gill, said, 'Who is he to talk about Charda Punjab like this? Punjab is very much a part of India and a matter of national pride — just as Lehnda Punjab (Western Punjab) is for Pakistan. Artists should remain neutral. For them, the sky is the limit.'
Following the Pahalgam terror attack that claimed 26 lives, Thakur— who is known for his roles in Punjabi films like Chal Mera Putt—sparked outrage on May 2 after he appeared on Pakistani TV show and made a remark directed at India: 'If you come through air, you'll be bombed in the air. If you come by sea, you'll be drowned in the water. If you come through the ground, you will be buried under it.'
This was swiftly condemned in India, particularly by members of the Punjabi film industry. Prominent actors like Binnu Dhillon and Gurpreet Ghuggi criticized Thakur, emphasising that artists should be messengers of peace, not war. Ghuggi remarked, 'I don't think any producer or director will ever cast him now. He has closed doors not just for himself but for many Pakistani actors.'
Reacting after Thakur's latest statement, veteran folk singer and former MP Mohammad Sadik said, 'It's fine to stand with your country, but no one has the right to make inflammatory remarks against ours. Just like he supports his country, we are with ours—and proud of our forces.'
'He may have worked in Punjabi films and earned his livelihood from them, but artists must realise they have fans on both sides of the border. Their words reflect their character. Let him speak — it only exposes his poor mindset. The Punjabi film industry must now decide whether such artists deserve a place anymore. There's no dearth of talent in Punjab,' Sadik said.
He added, 'The wars are of the two countries…governments play role in that…it is not a war of the public or artists. Many acclaimed Pakistani artists like Ghulam Ali Khan,Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan have earned so much respect in India and will continue to get that…as they were focused on their work and not any controversy.'
Pakistani actors, including Nasir Chinyoti, Naseem Vicky, and Zafri Khan, have also been seen in Punjabi films, appearing only in scenes shot outside India. Since the 2019 Pulwama attack, Bollywood has imposed an unofficial ban on Pakistani actors but the Punjabi industry in the country has continued to offer them roles that are mostly shot outside India.