The film industry, along with its most active organization AMPTPP, have come in support of Akbar Khan, after the controversy about Yash Chopra ignoring Khan's film 'Taj Mahal – An Eternal Love Story' at the recent FICCI meet.

Khan's magnum opus 'Taj Mahal...' is all set to create history on April 28, 2006, when it will be the first Indian film in 41 years to be released in Pakistan.

Pledging their unconditional support for the cause of Indo-Pak ties via the medium of films, industry bigwigs like Mahesh Bhatt, Shyam Shroff, Pahlaj Nihalani (President of AMPTPP), Ratan Jain, Vikas Mohan, Sanjay Khan, Shashi Ranjan, Aditya Bhattacharya and many others came together on a common platform this week to express their solidarity to Akbar Khan.

Khan made it a point to state, "We need to look at the bigger picture of friendship between two countries, rather than whether 'Veer-Zaara' or 'Taj Mahal...' would be the first to release in Pakistan. This is not about who is a bigger name; it is about spreading love. It would be a tragedy if I have a divided home and seek our industry to promote friendship with the industry of Pakistan."

"This new beginning of friendship will also open the doors of a new territory for Indian filmmakers" said Pahlaj Nihalani, President of 'Association of Motion Pictures and Television Programme Producers' (AMPTPP), the foremost filmmakers' association in India.

It can be recalled that last week, Khan also had a meeting with a 20-member delegation from Pakistan, which dropped down at his Juhu-based residence in Mumbai, and discussed various aspects of the film market in their country.

Khan., along with his Pakistan-based distributor Satish Anand (of Eveready Pictures), is currently drawing out an elaborate strategy for the film's distribution in Pakistan. Lavish premieres are being planned in at least three major cities there.