Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], August 2 (ANI): The Federation of Western India Cine Employees (FWICE) sent a strong letter to actor Kartik Aaryan, asking him to 'withdraw' from a reported upcoming Independence Day event in Houston, USA.

The film body raised concerns that the show is reportedly hosted by a Pakistani-owned entity and stated that participating in it would go against national interests, especially following the terror attack in Pahalgam on April 22.

In the letter sent to the actor, FWICE wrote, 'As you are well aware, FWICE has issued a directive for all members and stakeholders of the Indian film industry to completely boycott Pakistani artists, technicians, and performers in light of Pakistan's continued involvement in terror attacks against India, including the recent brutal attack in Pahalgam, where innocent Indian civilians and tourists lost their lives. The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (I&B Ministry) has also issued a similar directive, which is very much in force and must be followed strictly by all Indian citizens and performers working in public life.'

'Your association with an event hosted by a Pakistani-owned entity, even if unintentional, is in direct conflict with these directives and has understandably hurt national sentiment. As a public figure and a proud representative of India's film fraternity, you are expected to uphold these collective decisions, which are rooted in national interest,' the letter continued.

FWICE President BN Tiwari also spoke to ANI about the issue and confirmed that the event is scheduled for August 15 in Houston, with Kartik listed as the 'chief celebrity guest.'

'The show is scheduled for August 15 in Houston, USA, and Kartik Aaryan was named as the chief celebrity guest. The organiser of the show is a Pakistani national,' Tiwari said.

'After Operation Sindoor, this is the second such incident. We are doing our best to take a stand of non-cooperation against any artist who supports such events,' he added.

FWICE General Secretary Ashoke Dubey also mentioned that he tried contacting the actor and his team multiple times but received no response.

'On July 20, when I learned about the show, I texted the contact number we had. However, there was no response. I also tried calling, but the call went unanswered. Even today, I sent a letter and the show details to his manager, but received no reply. That's why we decided to send an official letter to him,' he told ANI.

Earlier, several posters of the upcoming event featuring Kartik had been circulating online.

When asked Kartik's team, they stated that the actor is not participating in the event. The statement from Kartik's team read, 'Kartik Aaryan is not associated with this event in any capacity. He has never made an official announcement about participating in it. We have contacted the organizers and requested that all promotional materials featuring his name and image be removed.' (ANI)