Shah Rukh Khan-starrer Pathaan is all set to achieve a significant milestone this Friday. On February 24, it will have a grand release in Bangladesh. Interestingly, Pathaan will be the first Bollywood film to have a release in the neighbouring country after nearly 8 years.
For the unversed, there has been a ban on Indian films in Bangladesh for more than 5 decades. The ban was lifted temporarily in 2015 and the Salman Khan-starrer Wanted (2009) became the first Indian film that saw a release in Bangladesh. However, it led to a massive protest in the country by the local actors and filmmakers who felt that it could cripple the Bangladeshi film industry. The protest was led by popular Bangladeshi actor Shakib Khan. The protestors, meanwhile, ripped the posters of Wanted and also requested moviegoers queuing outside the theatre to boycott the film. Angry exhibitors, meanwhile, decided to boycott the films starring Shakib Khan.
Yesterday, Bangladesh’s Ministry of Information confirmed during a press conference the film has received the green signal to release in the country. While fans in Bangladesh are already in celebration mood Shah Rukh Khan also acknowledged it during a question-answer session with fans in Twitter. "I have been told Pathaan will release there (Bangladesh) soon," in reply to a question by a Bangladeshi fan he wrote. 19 film-related associations finally came to an agreement that Hindi films will be allowed to release in cinema halls in Bangladesh.