FWICE Calls on Indian Film Industry to Boycott Turkey as Shooting Location Amid Diplomatic Tensions

In response to growing diplomatic ties with Turkey, the Federation of Western India Cine Employees (FWICE) responds with an update for filmmakers to avoid Turkey. This news comes after Turkey vocalized support towards Pakistan, which has been increasingly at odds with India and also not an isolated position of Turkey on India's interests internationally.

In its official statement titled “FWICE appeals to producers to boycott Turkey for shooting locations,” the federation urged filmmakers to consider their investments in a country that has repeatedly taken actions that undermine India's sovereignty while commenting on a global stage.

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FWICE's calls for boycotting Turkey

Furthermore, FWICE explained that not only is Turkey's position in the most recent situation not an isolated event but evidence of a consistent pattern of behaviour that does not align with India's larger interest on a global scale.

“In view of recent developments and Turkey’s consistent positioning in support of Pakistan, which has raised concerns regarding national integrity and security, we believe it is not in the best interests of the Indian film industry to invest or collaborate in any form that could indirectly support or benefit such a nation,” the statement reads.

FWICE banning Pakistani actors

This is not the first time FWICE has taken a firm stand on a political basis; following the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack in which 26 individuals were killed, FWICE responded by banning any work with Pakistani actors. The organization made its "nation first" position clear, and stated there will be consequences for any individuals working with banned individuals or Pakistan.

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One of the direct results of this stance was the scrapping of 'Abir Gulaal', the film that stars Fawad Khan and Vaani Kapoor.

The film was meant to foreshadow Fawad's return to Bollywood after years (Due to the unofficial industry ban on Pakistani actors as a result of the Uri attack in 2016). Fawad had a sizeable fan base in India through TV dramas and gained recognition within Hindi films through projects like Khoobsurat, Kapoor & Sons, and Ae Dil Hai Mushkil.

Over the last several years, Turkey has served as a beautiful backdrop of several major Hindi films including, but not limited to Race 2, Game, Guru, Dil Dhadakne Do, Baby, and Ek Tha Tiger. However, with FWICE's latest call to boycott Turkey, there could be a shift in the industry's favored destinations for shooting abroad. The changing dynamics of national sentiment will now be better factored into such production decisions.

As of today, there has been no official responses from producers or production houses regarding the boycott call.

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