By Subhash K Jha

Ali Zafar is appalled and horrified by stories that he is not in India to promote his new film Chashme Buddoor (CB) because of visa problems.

`This is utterly baseless. I am joining my co-stars Siddharth and Divyendu Sharma from early next week. I wish I could be there for the whole period of the film's promotion, ` says Ali.

Ironically Ali is away from the promotion of his film in India not because of visa problems but because he is shooting a film on Indo-Pak amity.

Says Ali, ` I had committed to shooting E Niwas' Aman Ki Asha for the month of March during the time when Chashme Buddoor was scheduled to release in February 2013.

But then it's date changed to April so I had to fulfil my commitment and let go of a part the CB promotions. Sad, because the film and its promotions is real fun. It was more fun than I had expected it to be.

Bonding with the boys, the fun of working with David Dhawan, discussing Punjabi jokes with the sweet Taapsee Pannu and learning from veterans like Rishi Kapoor and Anupam Kher, not to mention the formula for masala-making from the writers Sajid-Farhad writers and music-directors Sajid Wajid. All put together an awesome experience. `


Ali says he experiences no problems at all in visiting India and being part of Bollywood.

`I love the Mumbai entertainment industry. Everyone has been kind supportive and very friendly. I haven't encountered any hostility anywhere in India, ` says Ali emotionally.

Speaking up for Ali a source from Viacom 18, the producers of Chashme Buddoor said, `We are embarrassed to read that Ali is not here to promoute our film due to visa problems. Ali has never had any problems coming to India. He is a sweetheart.

He has been with us as much as he can. And he joins us again in a couple of days. We all love him. It's painful to read stories that damage relations between the countries when in fact the presence of individuals like Ali makes us realize how close the people from the two countries really are. `