British Home Office considering exclusion orders against Mehwish Hayat and Honey Singh, the possibility of being prevented from entering the UK
Showbiz reporter Daily Dawn + Dawn TV report
London: Popular Pakistani actress Mehwish Hayat and Indian rapper and singer Yo Yo Honey Singh have come under criticism in the UK due to a music video, which shows children with fake weapons.
The famous website Deadline has reported that the British government has received a formal complaint against this video.
The video was made for the song ‘Jatt Mukhma’, which was released last November and has been viewed nearly 40 million times on YouTube so far.
Although the video is gaining success online, British authorities and social commentators have expressed concern, calling it a ‘disturbing promotion of violence’.
Mehwish Hayat has denied any wrongdoing in the matter.
The actress said that these allegations are purely speculative and misleading. She calls on responsible media outlets to verify the facts before reporting such news, especially when such information can create harmful and false assumptions. All such adventures are being documented and monitored.
British MP Manuela Pertigella, who represents Stratford-upon-Avon in the West Midlands, has formally raised the issue with the British Home Office.
The four-minute video was allegedly shot in Eastnor Castle in Herefordshire and Birmingham City Centre.
At the end of the video, four young boys are shown joining Mehwish Hayat and firing fake automatic weapons and shotguns.
According to Deadline sources, the British Home Office is considering Exclusion Orders against both Mehwish Hayat and Honey Singh, which would mean that they would both be barred from entering the UK.
Such orders are usually not made public and the individuals concerned are notified in writing, but no legal action has been announced yet.
A source familiar with the matter says that there are serious concerns about the use of fake weapons and the inclusion of underage children in violent scenes.
Mehwish Hayat, who is known for her roles in the Marvel series ‘Ms. Marvel’ and Pakistani films ‘Load Wedding’ and ‘Actor in Law’, has not commented on the complaint.
On the other hand, Honey Singh, India’s most famous hip-hop artist and the protagonist of the Netflix documentary ‘Yo Yo Honey Singh: Famous’, has also remained silent on the matter.
The video was directed by Meher Gulati, while the UK company Blue Billing Production House provided production support.
The company’s founder, Vipul Kumar Sharma, clarified that his team only provided technical and logistical support for the shoot.
The video has drawn strong reactions not only from politicians but also from religious and social leaders.
Sheikh Paul Salahuddin Armstrong, director of the Association of British Muslims and chaplain at the University of Birmingham, said that he had worked with vulnerable young people for almost two decades and was deeply saddened by the video.
He said that portraying British children with fake weapons in gang scenes, and that too on our soil and by British production companies, is not only a moral failure but also a potential legal breach. This is not art, but a reckless promotion of violence in the name of cultural entertainment.
The controversy has also sparked a debate over media regulations, with Armstrong calling for an investigation by child protection agencies, although Ofcom has limited jurisdiction over online music videos.
The matter has led to the decision not to include ‘Jatt Mukhma’ in future playlists on the BBC Asian Network.
A BBC spokesperson said that each song is judged on its musical merit and relevance to the audience.
The Home Office, West Midlands Police and other relevant authorities have also declined to comment.
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