When asked earlier if he was willing to work on a Pakistani project, he was quoted as saying that art transcended borders.
According to Ranbir, he was indeed open to the idea of starring in such a film if 'the story was worth telling'.
But now, he said his previous statement was 'misconstrued', and went on to add that he had concurred with the question at the time because as he didn't want to make a controversy.
“I think my statement was misconstrued. I had gone to a film festival and there were a lot of Pakistani filmmakers asking me this question," The Indian Express quoted the Tamasha actor as saying.
"If you’ve got a good subject would you do it?’ So, I didn’t want it to be controversial in any way,” he added.
Downplaying a possible controversy, Ranbir said, "For me, films are films, and art is art. I have worked with Fawad (Khan) in Ae Dil Hai Mushkil. I have known a lot of artists from Pakistan. Rahat (Fateh Ali Khan) and Atif Aslam are such great singers who used to contribute to Hindi cinema. So, cinema is cinema. I don’t think cinema sees boundaries.”
He did add in the same breath that that art is not bigger than one's country. “But, of course, you have to respect art but at the same time art is not bigger than your country. So, anybody who is not on good terms with your country, your first priority will always be your country.”
During the specific interaction with media persons, Ranbir had not just expressed his willingness to work in Pakistan, he had also congratulated the film industry for its record-breaking projects.
When one attendee pointed to the ban on Pakistani artists since 2016, he had said, “Art knows no borders and I definitely would. In fact, I would like to congratulate Pakistani cinema on the huge success of [The Legend of] Maula Jatt," he said.