Shaan’s opinion on the exchange of work between the Pakistani and Indian film industries has always been clear. He has never shied away from voicing his point of view on the local actors who, in their desperation to work in India, accept any work offered from across the border.

A recent TV appearance of another industry veteran, Jawed Sheikh, however, has managed to raise eyebrows with the comments he made regarding this policy of Shaan’s.

What Happened?

During his appearance on Wasim Badami’s PSL related show, Jawed Sheikh said that Shaan maintains one opinion for the public and holds another privately in terms of working in India.

From his words on the entire Phantom controversy that had Mawra Hocane at the centre of it, to the whole Shaan-Ali Zafar controversy at Ary Film Awards, Shaan’s public display of patriotism would be known to all.

In Shaan’s own words, he puts his pride as a Pakistani citizen above his position as a Pakistani actor. He has often questioned the lack of respect and dignified opportunities that Pakistani actors get in India.

The superstar demands conditions where the work exchanged between the two countries gives respect and benefits artistes from both sides of the border.

Jawed Sheikh Tells Another Story

In his PSL programme, Har Lamha Purjosh, host Waseem Badaami showed Jawed Sheikh the infamous Shaan vs. Ali Zafar video from ARY Film Awards in 2014. He then proceeded to ask the industry veteran; who had appeared as a guest on the show, why some Pakistani actors are so desperate to work in India despite them not being treated with respect there.

Considering how Jawed Sheikh is the only Pakistani actor with the most body of work in India, the question made sense. In response, Jawed Sheikh completely refuted all of Shaan’s comments in the video and more or less called it a case of sour grapes.

He then narrated an incident where, some years back, a group of film industry people from Pakistan, including Shaan, had visited India. Jawed says that it was there that Shaan himself had expressed his desire to work in India to Jawed Sheikh.

Upon being prodded by the host at such a shocking response, Jawed Sheikh said that Shaan did have double standards when it came to working in India. He also said that had it been him on the stage instead of Ali Zafar, he would’ve said a lot more in response to Shaan.

Although a one-off, old incident, but Jawed Sheikh’s claims do raise a lot of questions a far as Shaan’s opinion on the issue is concerned. It now remains to be seen how Shaan responds to these claims.