2 weeks Ago By Manisha Chauhan
Pakistani actor Fawad Khan was set to make his comeback to Indian screens after nine years with his upcoming film Abir Gulaal, co-starring Vaani Kapoor. However, following the horrific terrorist attack in Pahalgam, the film has been banned in India. In a recent development, the film’s songs have also been pulled from YouTube India, amid growing boycott demands.
Two songs from Abir Gulaal the soulful Khudaya Ishq and the upbeat Angreji Rangrasiya , were earlier unveiled by the makers. But now, both tracks have abruptly vanished from A Richer Lens Entertainment’s official YouTube channel, sparking speculation amid the ongoing backlash. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Vaani Kapoor (@vaanikapoor) Not just that, the songs have also been pulled from Saregama’s official YouTube channel, even though the label holds the music rights for the film.
So far, neither the makers nor the lead actors have commented on the removal of the tracks from the platform. Vaani Kapoor has deleted a promotional video featuring Fawad Khan from her social media, which she had originally shared on April 22, the day the Pahalgam attack took place. On Wednesday, Abir Gulaal was trending on social media, with the hashtag #BoycottAbirGulaal.
"If govt is serious, they must ban the film Abir Gulaal. They deserve a full-fledged boycott,” a social media user wrote on X. Another user said, " I sincerely hope this movie isn’t allowed to be released in India.
#PahalgamTerroristAttack #AbirGulaal." Earlier this month, Raj Thackeray-led Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) had strongly opposed the release of the movie in India. In 2016, following the Uri terror attack, Pakistani artists were barred from working in the Indian film and music industry.
At the time, Fawad, then rising in popularity in India, had faced issues for his supporting role in Karan Johar's Ae Dil Hai Mushkil. Johar issued an apology and stated that he will not work with a Pakistani artist in future. Similarly, Shah Rukh Khan's 2017 film Raees also ran into trouble for featuring Pakistani actress Mahira Khan.
(With inputs from PTI).
