Pakistani Celebrities Removed from Indian Film Posters Amid India-Pak Tensions

The ongoing tensions between Pakistan and India have once again cast a shadow over the entertainment industry, particularly impacting the visibility of Pakistani artists in Indian media. Recent developments show that the strained political relationship is now influencing how film content is promoted, with Pakistani celebrities being edited out from official posters and album covers of Indian films.

This wave of exclusion began following strong condemnations by Pakistani artists in response to what they described as a cowardly attack by India. In retaliation, Indian authorities took several steps targeting Pakistani talent—starting with social media restrictions and now extending to digital music and film promotions.

Popular Pakistani actresses Mahira Khan and Mawra Hocane (also known as Mawra Hussain) have notably been removed from the album covers of the Bollywood films Raees and Sanam Teri Kasam. In the case of Sanam Teri Kasam, the original cover featuring both Mawra and Indian actor Harshvardhan Rane has been altered to show only Rane, completely excluding Mawra from the visual presentation.

When asked about the change, Deepak Mukut, the producer of Sanam Teri Kasam, claimed he had no knowledge of the update and added, “I was not asked. Whatever our government says, everyone will have to accept it.”

Similarly, Mahira Khan has been removed from the Spotify and YouTube music album covers of Raees, a film she starred in opposite Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan. The updated album artwork now features only Shah Rukh Khan, erasing Mahira’s image entirely from the promotional visuals.

Interestingly, no changes have been made so far to the album artwork of Khoobsurat, which starred Sonam Kapoor alongside Pakistani actor Fawad Khan. This inconsistency raises questions about the selective nature of these removals and whether further edits might follow.

These developments highlight how political tensions can spill into the arts, where creative collaborations become collateral damage in a broader geopolitical narrative.

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