LAHORE: Bollywood star Urmila Matondkar arrived in Lahore via the Wagah border crossing on Tuesday to star in a music video on peace between India and Pakistan.
The video for a song by Fuzon, Moving Closer, will be shot in Lahore. Her co-stars in the video will be Pakistani actress Resham and actor Shamil Khan. There are reports that an Indian choreographer will arrive in Pakistan today to work on the video.
Talking to reporters at Wagah, Urmila said she had long yearned to see Pakistan, especially Lahore. “Lahore is a city widely discussed and liked in the Indian film industry,” she said, adding she would like to see joint-ventures between the two countries film industries.
Resham and Shamil Khan received her and other Indian film professionals at the border. They got straight to work; the first shot of the video was Resham embracing Urmila, who was later presented bouquets by various people in the Pakistani film industry.
“I have never been in a movie that creates tension between India and Pakistan. My message is of love and peace. That is why I was in the film Pinjer, whose message is on the importance of friendship between the two countries,” Urmila said.
Resham told Daily Times the Indian actress was friendly and down to earth. “I feel as if I’ve know her for ages,” she said.
The video is a Serendip Productions project funded by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). It will be about how Indians and Pakistanis feel when visiting the other country. The video will be aired on international channels.
Urmila also visited Depilex in Gulberg, where Nudrat Misbha, Nighat Misbah, Babloo and Nureen did her make up. Some of the video was also shot at the beauty parlour. Urmila told the make-up artists she hoped her Urdu in her new film Tehzeeb was up to scratch. She said she was eager to explore Lahore. Dress designer BG gave Urmila a shalwar kameez, short shirts and a pair of trousers.
PPI adds: Urmila told reporters at Wagah she felt an exchange of television and film stars would ease tension between India and Pakistan. She said “artist diplomacy” could make the two countries friends.
Urmila later visited the Badshahi Mosque, Shahi Qila and Minar-e-Pakistan amid tightened security. She then flew of to Islamabad. She is in Pakistan for three days.
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