Salman removes Pakistani singers from Bharat

'They will re-record the songs in Indian voices.'
Subhash K Jha reports.

Somehow, the Pakistani element has almost invariably crept into the music of Salman Khan's films, whether it was Atif Aslam's song Dil Diya Gallan in Tiger Zinda Hai or Rahat Fateh Ali Khan's number Jag Ghoomiya in Sultan.

After the Pulwama massacre on February 14, dozens of tweets warned Salman that if Pakistani talent were included in Bharat, they would not watch the film.

Acting swiftly, Salman has donated a substantial sum to the martyrs's fund. Songs sung by Pakistani singers are being removed from Bharat.

"Salman knows this time he can't ignore the demand to ban Pakistani singers," a source close to the development reveals. "He seems to think the voices of Rahat Fateh Ali Khan and Atif Aslam suit him. And while that may be true, to cling stubbornly to this would damage Salman's reputation severely. That is a risk he is not willing to take."

Information filtering out of Salman's camp suggest that the tracks recorded with Pakistani singers for Bharat will be dropped from the film.

"They will re-record the songs in Indian voices," says a close friend of the superstar.

New tracks featuring Rahat Fateh Ali Khan and Atif Aslam have also been removed from YouTube by the leading music company T Series.

Reliable sources say T Series, which worked substantially with Pakistani artistes, has decided to put an end to all collaboration with singers from that country.

"The company had cut down -- but not entirely eliminated -- all the Pakistani artistes from its roster," says a source close to T Series.

"Songs were being recorded and videos were shot in Dubai -- the no man's land for creative collaborations. But now a decision has been taken at the highest level at T Series to stop all Pakistani contributions."