Pakistani actor Fawad Khan’s upcoming Bollywood movie Abir Gulaal will not be released in India. A source close to the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting of India has revealed that the film, which also stars Vaani Kapoor in the lead, will not hit theatres in the country. The decision has been taken after the deadly terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam on Tuesday, April 22.
Abir Gulaal marks Fawad Khan’s Bollywood comeback after nine years. The actor previously appeared in three Bollywood films, including Khoobsurat (2014), Kapoor & Sons (2016) and Ae Dil Hai Mushkil (2016), all of which garnered considerable attention owing to his popularity among Indian audiences.However, the landscape shifted dramatically following the 2016 Uri terror attack. In its aftermath, prominent industry bodies like the Indian Motion Picture Producers’ Association (IMPPA) and the All Indian Cine Workers Association (AICWA) announced a ban on Pakistani artists from participating in Indian cinema. Although the Bombay High Court dismissed a petition in 2023 that called for a formalised ban, industry sources maintain that an unofficial freeze on collaborations with Pakistani talent has persisted since 2016.
