January ,24 2018
Filmmaker Karan Johar, who was present at the panel
discussion at World Economic Forum Annual Meeting on Tuesday, said that art
should not have boundaries and one cannot enforce culture to the people.
The filmmaker shared the stage along with renowned cellist Yo-Yo Ma, Alice Bah
Kuhnke, Minister for Culture and Democracy of Sweden and Arlie Russell
Hochschild, Professor of Sociology at the University of California.
The
panel was discussing "Can we avoid the spread of so-called 'culture wars'?"
Talking on the matter Karan said, "You cannot enforce culture or imbibe it.
There are immense economic and social problems, but sometimes the main papers
and politicians don't talk about them because they are focused on a film. It's
empowering to the film industry, but it's ridiculous."
Recounting a time
he was accused of being 'non-Indian' for casting a Pakistani actor in one of his
films, Karan said, "Art should not have boundaries but then culture and
patriotism is thrown at the artists."
The panel discussed the virtues of
tolerance.
While Alice Bah Kunke said that in politics, one needs to be
very, very tolerant, Karan said "there is a risk that tolerating intolerance in
others can be misconstrued as validation."
The annual meeting was graced
by some of the iconic Indian personalities, including Prime Minister Narendra
Modi, business tycoon Mukesh Ambani, Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan who
received the Crystal Award that celebrates the achievements of leading artists.
The four-day long annual meeting, taking place at the Davos-Klosters,
Switzerland will end on January 26.