Devendra Fadnavis 'Did not Discourage' Karan Johar's 5 Crore 'Donation' to Army Welfare Fund

Mumbai: Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis may not have forced producer Karan Johar to cough up Rs 5 crore as 'donation' to the Army Fund as settlement for MNS allowing his movie to be released, but he did not anything to stop it either, well-placed sources in the film industry revealed on Wednesday.

The sources told CNN-News18 that Fadnavis, during his meeting with Maharashtra Navnirman Sena president Raj Thackeray and representatives of Film and Television Producers Guild of India on Saturday, "did not discourage" the MNS suggestion that this was the condition for the release of Johar's film Ae Dil Hai Mushkil.

Johar, the sources further added, was in no position to refuse the MNS' suggestion to make the donation to the Indian Army Welfare Fund, as his film - which was opposed by the MNS for starring Pakistani artistes - was less than a week away from its release.

"Which producer would be happy to pay this kind of money for what is, frankly, not really his mistake?" a source asked.

This revelation will come as embarrassment for Fadnavis who has been denying allegations from political rivals that he forcefully "brokered" a deal between Johar and Thackeray.

Johar had signed Pakistani actor Fawad Khan for a supporting role in his film before the Uri attacks, and his film was ready before India's relations with Pakistan turned particularly ugly.

The film fraternity believes that in this kind of scenario, the MNS stand amounted to "bullying". At a press conference held hours after the meeting at Fadnavis' house Thackeray announced Johar will pay Rs 5 crore donation to the Army fund.

"Even if it has been communicated that the producers voluntarily made the donation, what choice did they have?," asked a member of the film fraternity.

The episode has left Bollywood feeling cynical and vulnerable. And though the issue was settled for the time being there is still anxiety over the fate of other unreleased films - like Dear Zindagi also produced by Johar, and Raees co-produced by Shah Rukh Khan - that also feature Pakistani aristes.