by Subhash K Jha

It's been a dream run for Abkbar Khan and his entourage for Taj Mahal. "After the premiere at Lahore, we're now at Karachi where we're being treated as state guests. The Taj Mahal team has been invited by the most distinguished sections of the city.

The hospitality is amazing. And I must say a special thanks to Mahesh Bhatt and Shatrughan Sinha. Unlike some important sections of Bollywood who take themselves too seriously and are steeped in self-importance, Mr Bhatt's love for the people of Pakistan is so genuine and so real.

Thank God for people like him in our industry. Otherwise the peace process between Indian and Pakistan would be halted by vested interests."

Abkar turns to less pleasant topics. He's shocked and disgusted by the way a section of the press has highlighted his brother Feroz Khan's unfortunate incident in Karachi. "What he said was a just a slip of the tongue.

And the way it has been highlighted back home is so wrong and unfair. My brother meant no harm. He apologized and the people and press of Pakistan quickly forgot the incident and moved on to the bridge-building process that we've come to Pakistan for.

It's so ironical that Pakstan chose to be magnanimous about my brother's slip-up while back home the casual remark has been given extreme connotations by vested interests.

I'd like to say that those who are calling my brother anti-national names are neither Indian, nor Hindu nor Muslim. I wish the country's politics would be run by peace-keepers like Mr Shatrughan Sinha.

Moving back to pleasanter things Akbar says, "We've sent a print of our film to President Musharraf with a letter from Mrs Sonia Gandhi. I'm sure he'll watch Taj Mahal at the earliest. The public of Pakistan has gone mad over the film.

After 41 years there has been an Indian film. And it's a very proud moment for me as an Indian filmmaker. There's a need and a passion for Indo-Pak collaborations. I'm in negotiations for various tie-ups with Pakistan for my next film Changez Khan.

In the meanwhile I'm visiting theatres all across Pakistan to measure the reach of Taj Mahal. I'll be back in Mumbai on the 4th or 5th May armed with all the glowing press reports about our visit. I intend to re-release Taj Mahal in India."