South Indian superstar Asin, who has been struggling to make a mark in Bollywood, has reacted strongly against the call to ban her films in Tamil Nadu.
The ban was called by the South Indian Film Artistes Association, as a major portion of Asin's new film opposite Salman Khan, titled Ready, is being shot in Sri Lanka. The association had demanded a boycott on any Indian cultural activity in Lanka, saying the Tamils had been persecuted for years in that country. Asin is already in Lanka for the shoot.
Salman has also faced the ire of the south Indian exhibitors and distributors after he attended the recent International Indian Film Academy (IIFA) Awards in Colombo.
The south Indian film industry had boycotted the IIFA Awards, showing their support for the Lankan Tamils' cause. But since Salman defied the boycott - he even replaced Amitabh Bachchan as the IIFA Awards brand ambassador - the southern industry banned him, along with all the artists and technicians who attended the event in Colombo.
Asin told a website that she wasn't responsible for choosing Lanka as the location for Ready. "I am involved merely in the capacity of an artist," she said. Also, she added, "I have to abide by the filmmakers' decision on such issues." Ready is directed by Anees Bazmee and produced by Bhushan Kumar of T-Series.
Though the association hasn't officially banned Asin, a final decision will reportedly be taken in a few days' time.
Industry watchers say the ban, if implemented, could cause a setback for Asin. She is a huge hit in Tamil films while in Bollywood, apart from her debut blockbuster Ghajini in 2008, she has struggled so far.
"Her only Hindi release after Ghajini, London Dreams, was a flop. She has some projects in Bollywood, but none of them are guaranteed to be hits. She is already a superstar down South. If the ban is imposed, it will definitely hurt her market in Tamil films," a prominent producer said.
Others, however, refuse to take the ban seriously. "Such bans don't hold. First of all, there is no legal standing to them. Also, Asin is a bankable star down South. Why would her Tamil producers let go of a chance to sign her?" trade analyst Komal Nahta asked.
Apart from Ready, Asin's roster in Bollywood includes Anurag Basu's Ranbir Kapoor- starrer Silence, Vipul Shah's yet untitled next opposite John Abraham and Ghajini maker Murugadoss's upcoming Bollywood flick opposite Akshay Kumar, which is also untitled.
.jpg)
