The Indian government’s latest retaliatory action includes blocking the release of the movie ‘Abir Gulal,’ which stars Pakistani actor Fawad Khan, as per sources from the Information and Broadcasting Ministry.
This move is part of several measures India has taken against Pakistan in response to the Pahalgam terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir that resulted in the deaths of 26 people.
The upcoming Hindi film Abir Gulaal, starring Pakistani actor Fawad Khan, is facing severe backlash in India following the recent terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, which claimed the lives of 26 tourists. The political and cultural fallout from the attack has led to calls for a complete halt on cross-border artistic collaborations.
Ashoke Pandit, President of the Indian Film & Television Directors’ Association, took a strong stand, stating, “This act is nothing less than a war against our nation. We’ve pleaded before — stop working with Pakistani artists. It’s not about art anymore, it’s about our people. If someone from your own family had died in the attack, would you still work with them?”
Echoing similar sentiments, BN Tiwari, President of the Federation of Western India Cine Employees (FWICE), declared that Abir Gulaal would not be allowed to release in India and warned of action against the film’s makers.
The backlash intensified after Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) reiterated its long-standing opposition to Pakistani actors in Indian cinema. Ameya Khopkar, head of MNS’s cinema wing, reaffirmed that the party will block Abir Gulaal from releasing in Maharashtra. “Some people never learn, but Mansainiks will ensure these movies are dumped where they belong,” he posted on X.
