Due to the recent tension escalation between Pakistan and India, Indians are behaving childishly. After the announcement of the ceasefire, Indian music platforms have removed Pakistani actors Mahira Khan, Fawad Khan, and Mawra Hocane from the posters of their Bollywood films. This action has sparked outrage and mockery online.

These actors starred in popular Hindi films such as Raees, Ae Dil Hai Mushkil, Kapoor & Sons, and Sanam Teri Kasam. Now, their faces have disappeared from the thumbnail posters on music apps like JioSaavn and Wynk, even though the films’ songs still feature their voices and appearances.

Netizens React as Mahira, Fawad, Mawra Are Removed from Bollywood Posters on Indian Music Apps

Social media users were quick to spot the changes. In the updated thumbnails, Shah Rukh Khan is now shown alone for Raees, Ranbir Kapoor is the sole focus in Ae Dil Hai Mushkil, and Harshvardhan Rane appears alone in Sanam Teri Kasam.

For many users, this move felt unnecessary and politically motivated. Some called it a “digital erasure” of artists who had once been welcomed into Bollywood with open arms.

What People Are Saying

The online response has been vocal and largely critical. Many also took to Twitter and Instagram to share their disappointment and sarcasm.

“You can remove them from posters, but not from the films. This is just embarrassing,” one user commented.

Another wrote, “Fawad Khan was Ae Dil Hai Mushkil. No edit can change that.”

“If they’re so unwanted, why keep their songs at all?” asked one user.

Some fans focused on Mahira Khan’s performance, saying:

“Mahira added grace to Raees. Removing her image is just petty politics.”

Another comment mocked the move with humour:

“Next step: Replace their faces with AI-generated versions? Bollywood’s really losing it.”

One user highlighted the contradiction:

“You remove the faces but still earn money from their performances? That’s hypocrisy.”

The overwhelming sentiment was that art should remain separate from politics. Many users felt this was yet another step backwards for cultural unity in South Asia.

A Pattern Repeated

This is not the first time Pakistani actors have faced such censorship. After the Uri attack in 2016, a ban was imposed on Pakistani artists working in India. Since then, collaborations have been rare. Even older films are now being edited to reduce or erase Pakistani involvement.

Yet fans continue to celebrate the performances of actors like Fawad Khan, whose role in Ae Dil Hai Mushkil and Kapoor & Sons remains iconic, or Mahira Khan, who shared screen space with one of India’s biggest superstars, Shah Rukh Khan.

Our Thoughts

In the age of digital media, changes like this can be made quietly, but the internet never misses a detail. And once people notice, they speak up.

As one netizen aptly put it:

“They came, they performed, they won hearts. No poster edit can undo that.”

The attempt to hide these artists from public view has only brought them back into the spotlight—and perhaps, reminded fans of the value of cross-border art and unity.