Mumbai: Disagreeing with Pakistani Foreign Minister Khurshid Mahmood Kasuri, Bollywood today (Jan 7, 2004) justified making Indo-Pak war films saying they "reflected the prevailing circumstances" but evinced interest in producing movies revolving around the current thaw in relations between the neighbouring countries.

Objecting to Mahmood's statement that films on Indo-Pak war should not be made and people should not patronise them, Bollywood personalities said it would be wrong to muzzle the "creative independence of an individual".

"How can you infringe upon the creative freedom and independence of an artiste?" said Censor Board Chairman and versatile actor Anupam Kher when his attention was drawn to the Pak Minister's statement.

Kher told reporters, "Films reflect the atmosphere of the day. When films on Indo-Pak war were made they only sought to reflect the reality of the day. It was an extension of the reality on the big screen."

Stating that there was nothing wrong in making films on wars, Kher said all over the world films on war continued to be made. "Even today we have films on holocausts", he said.

Driving a point home Kher said, "We have also made films on Indo-China war. Films only reflect the national feeling, you cannot throw a blanket ban on the same."

"However, if there is a thaw in Indo-Pak relations, then we should refrain from making such films and choose to make those that would benefit both countries and reflect the changing relationship. We could take into consideration the thawing while making films," Kher said.

According to film thespian, Dev Anand, it was natural to make films on the war, after all the war is a part of history, you cannot run away from history.

"People have made films on the war in Germany, the second World War. The fact remains that we do not want to see the unpleasant side of history, but it exists in reality," the evergreen Bollywood star told reporters.

However, if a film sequence demands it, one cannot prohibit it or desist from it. If a film is not a propaganda film and places both view points and is a balanced film, one could go ahead and make such films, he said.

"However, if these relations change, it would naturally be reflected in the films," Anand said.

He agreed that in the changing scenario it was not conducive to make films on the Indo-Pak war. It is not the right atmosphere to make such films now.