In a major relief to filmmaker Karan Johar, the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS)announced on Saturday it has called off its protest against his upcoming film, "Ae Dil Hai Mushkil" and allowed its release.

The decision followed Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis' direct intervention in the matter -- a day after Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh visited Mumbai, and two days after he met representatives of Bollywood.

Fadnavis convened a meeting on Saturday which was attended by MNS President Raj Thackeray, Karan Johar and Producers' Guild of India President Mukesh Bhatt and others at the CM's official residence, Varsha, to resolve the imbroglio.

The MNS was agitating for the past fortnight against the film on grounds it has a Pakistani actor, Fawad Khan, and vowed not to permit its scheduled release on October 28.

(Source: IANS)