Aamir Khan reveals why he refused to release Dangal in Pakistan: 'Flag, National Anthem....'

Aamir Khan reveals why he refused to release Dangal in Pakistan: 'Flag, National Anthem....'
In the world of cinema, many factors contribute to the making and the success of a film at the box office. From casting, production cost to the release date, everything is aligned in a way to drive more numbers and global reach. However, one tale of an actor stood out when he decided to keep his national sentiment above the number of eyeballs his film would attract.
Back in the year 2016, Mr perfectionist of Bollywood, Aamir Khan's blockbuster film Dangal got released. But this blockbuster did not make it to the screens of Pakistan for a patriotic reason that Aamir Khan recently revealed. Based on the inspiring journey of wrestler Geeta Phogat and her father Mahavir Singh Phogat, the film entails some strong nationalistic elements, particularly a scene where Geeta wins the match and the Indian national anthem plays with the tricolour being raised.
Recently, in an interaction with Aap Ki Adalat, Aamir Khan opened up about this issue, and he revealed that the censor board had objected to two things in the film: the Indian flag and the national anthem. They wanted them to eradicate this part from the film to get it released in their country. In such a situation, the producers, including Disney, were concerned about the potential loss in revenue; however, Aamir Khan's patriotism didn't compromise, and he proved himself as a proud Indian.
Aamir said, 'They asked us to remove the Indian flag and anthem from the scene. I said, 'No. We will not release the film in Pakistan.' I didn't even want to think twice. I said, 'I have no interest if someone asks me to remove our national symbols. It's non-negotiable.'
Aamir's statement resonates even more during this time. Especially after this year, when the cross-border collaborations were banned, following a horrific terrorist attack in Jammu & Kashmir's Baisaran Valley that killed 26 civilians. After the tension between the two countries, the government issued a strict advisory about discontinuing Pakistan-origin content, including films, shows, and music on OTT. Several social media accounts of Pakistani actors and influencers were also restricted.
Backing his country, Aamir Khan was also seen praising Operation Sindoor: 'Saluting the heroes of Operation Sindoor. Heartfelt gratitude to our armed forces… Jai Hind,' he posted.
Through his career choices and social choices, Aamir Khan has proved that for him, the nation always comes first.

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