The stand-off between Pakistan and India has just claimed its first casualty in Bollywood. Pakistani actress Mahira Khan has been eased out of Shah Rukh Khan-starrer Raees, due for release on the Republic Day weekend, according to reliable sources.
Says a source in the know, “It was a very painful decision for producer Ritesh Sidhwani to take. The pressure to replace her had been building up for months. It reached a crescendo after the Uri attacks. It came to a point where it became impossible to shoot with any Pakistani. People suggested all kinds of solutions to the impasse, including shooting in Dubai. But it didn’t seem viable.”
