Amid rising hostilities between Pakistan and India following a deadly attack in Pahalgam, located in Indian-occupied Kashmir, Fawad Khan’s much-anticipated Bollywood film “Abir Gulaal” has been caught in the crossfire. Initially withdrawn from release in India, the film will now also not see a release in Pakistan.
Tensions between the two countries have surged, with India blaming Pakistan for orchestrating the attack. In response, New Delhi announced the suspension of the 65-year-old Indus Waters Treaty—an agreement critical to the management of cross-border water resources. Pakistan retaliated by closing its airspace to Indian aircraft and firmly rejecting India’s unilateral move regarding the treaty.
According to Pakistani entertainment portal Siasat, senior film distributor Satish Anand confirmed that Abir Gulaal will not be released in Pakistan. The publication noted that the decision was partly due to the film featuring Indian actress Vaani Kapoor in the lead role.
Originally scheduled for release on May 9, the film had already faced mounting public pressure for a boycott following the Pahalgam incident. Citing official sources, The Indian Express reported that India’s Ministry of Information canceled the film’s release in the aftermath of the attack.
In a further development, Filmfare reported that two of the movie’s promotional songs, which had been released earlier in the month, were taken down from the official YouTube channels of production house A Richer Lens Entertainment and music label Saregama Music.
