The upcoming film Abir Gulaal, starring Pakistani actor Fawad Khan and Vaani Kapoor, is facing calls for a Boycott after terrorist attack in Pahalgam that claimed the lives of 26 people. Directed by Aarti S Bagdi, Abir Gulaal is slated for release on May 9. The romantic drama said to be a go-border love story, has already sparked controversy in view of its assertion, in large part due to the casting of Fawad Khan, a Pakistani national, amid strained diplomatic stages and increase tensions on the borders.
Boycott Demand Increase against Fawad Khan Film
The tragic Pahalgam incident has reignited public outrage, especially on social media, wherein customers are questioning the Indian film enterprise’s selection to collaborate with Pakistani artists, notwithstanding ongoing hostilities. The backlash appears to be collecting steam, with many traumatic that the film be pulled from release schedules.
After the Pahalgam attack, reactions had been pouring in on social media. One X (previously Twitter) user questioned the industry’s moral choices and wrote, “Why are Pakistani artists still being welcomed in Indian cinema even as our infantrymen are being martyred on the borders and harmless lives are being misplaced?” Another user asked, “Are we going to permit films like Abir Gulaal to be made?”
Backslash on Karan Johar’s Ae Dil Hai Mushkil Movie
The recent controversy and Boycott demands has also prompted comparisons with previous cases, mainly the backlash surrounding Karan Johar’s Ae Dil Hai Mushkil in 2016, which also starred Fawad Khan. That movie confronted protests following the Uri terror attack on September 18, 2016, which ended in a casual ban on Pakistani artists in Indian entertainment. As one X user talked about, “Last time it was Ae Dil Hai Mushkil… More than a month before its release, the Uri attack happened.”
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