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Urmila in Lahore to make music video

Lahore, December 9
Bollywood actress Urmila Matondkar arrived here today to make a music video about the improving relations between India and Pakistan.

Matondkar was greeted by Pakistani actors when she crossed Wagah border.

Rashmi Talwar adds from Wagah: Urmila Matondkar entered Pakistan via the Wagah border at 10 a.m. today as soon as the gates were opened on both sides of the border here.

She was accompanied by a producer and director and her father. The actress, who is known for her meaty roles, said she had been deeply influenced by her portrayal of a Punjabi girl in a recently released film “Pinjar” based on a book on the Indo-Pak Partition by famed writer Amrita Pritam.

She said she would now like to take a lead to address the issue of intellectual, artistic and technical exchanges in the field of cinema between the two neighbouring countries.

Asserting that both countries must favour harmonious relations, free from hatred, she said cinema could be a powerful binding factor between the two countries.

Talking to The Tribune, she said, “Now Bollywood films which are released here on Fridays find their way to Pakistan on Saturday via Dubai.

There is so much interest in Indian movies, songs and music that it defies any man-made boundaries between the two nations. We are bound by our common culture, language, clothes and in every other aspect”.

Urmila, along with the producer, director will meet top personalities of Pakistani cinema and television industry besides some singers, musicians and poets.

She said she would ‘not like to take any names now. “We will be trying to plan a joint Indo-Pak production for international audiences.” She refused to comment when asked about seeking permission for shooting in Pakistan for any particular film. She said a film like “Khamosh Pani”, that started actress Kiron Kher who won a coveted award for the Pakistan film that included Indian artistes, was a start but more needed to be done.