Fawad
Khan
and
Vaani
Kapoor
in
Abir
Gulaal.
Pakistani
actor
Fawad
Khan
has
expressed
his
condolences
over
the
Pahalgam
terrorist
attack
that
killed
26
people
on
April
22.
‘Deeply
saddened
to
hear
the
news
of
this
heinous
attack,’
Fawad
posted
on
social
media.
‘Our
thoughts
and
prayers
are
with
the
victims
of
this
horrifying
incident
and
we
pray
for
strength
and
healing
for
their
families
in
this
difficult
time,’
he
added.
The
tragic
killing
of
innocent
tourists
in
Pahalgam,
Kashmir,
has
come
at
a
time
when
Fawad
Khan’s
Hindi
film
Abir
Gulaal —
where
he
stars
opposite
Vaani
Kapoor
—
is
slated
to
release
on
May
9.
The
film
would
have
marked
his
return
to
Indian
cinema
nine
years
after
we
last
saw
him
in Ae
Dil
Hai
Mushkil
and
Kapoor
&
Sons in
2016.
The
Uri
attack
happened
soon
after
and
the
Federation
of
Western
India
Cine
Employee
(FWICE)
Association
put
a
blanket
ban
on
Pakistani
artists
performing
in
Bollywood
post
the
Uri
attack.
There
was,
however,
no
official
ban
from
the
Indian
government.
Shah
Rukh
Khan’s
2017
release
Raees
faced
problems
too,
as
it
featured
Pakistani
actress
Mahira
Khan.
Post
Raees,
Bollywood
kept
a
distance
from
Pakistani
actors,
singers
and
musicians,
fearing
their
films
would
not
see
the
light
of
the
day
due
to
boycotts
and
threats
from
political
parties.
In
October
2023,
the
Bombay
High
Court
dismissed
a
petition
banning
Pakistani
artists
from
performing
in
India,
stating
it
would
be
a
violation
of
their
right
to
freedom
of
expression.
The
court
observed:
‘There
is
no
evidence
to
support
the
claim
that
Pakistani
artists
pose
a
security
threat.’
People
mourn
Vinay
Narwal,
a
Navy
officer
who
was
killed
in
a
militant
attack
near
Pahalgam,
as
his
funeral
carriage
moves
towards
the
crematorium
in
Karnal,
Haryana.
Photograph:
Bhawika
Chhabra/Reuters
After
the
Pulwama
terror
attack
in
February
2019
claimed
the
lives
of
40
CRPF
personnel,
the
industry
workers’
union
had
issued
a
statement
which
they
reaffirmed after
the
Pahalgam
attack.
The
statement
read,
‘In
the
wake
of
these
repeated
attacks,
FWICE
reaffirms
its
unwavering
commitment
to
national
interest
and
solidarity.
We
reiterate
our
directive,
originally
issued
on
February
18,
2019,
calling
for
complete
non-cooperation
with
all
Pakistan
artists,
singers
and
technicians
within
the
Indian
film
and
entertainment
industry.’
FWICE
stated
that
it
will
take
all
the
necessary
steps
to
ensure
that
Fawad’s
Abir
Gulaal does
not
release
in
India.
‘Despite
this
ongoing
directive,
we
have
been
made
aware
of
the
recent
collaboration
with
Pakistani
actor
Fawad
Khan
for
the
Hindi
film
Abir
Gulaal.
In
light
of
the
recent
attack
in
Pahalgam,
FWICE
is
once
again
compelled
to
issue
a
blanket
boycott
on
all
Pakistani
artists,
singers
and
technicians
participating
in
any
Indian
film
or
entertainment
projects.
This
includes
performances
or
collaborations
occurring
anywhere
in
the
world,’
the
statement
read.
‘FWICE
would
like
to
emphasise
that
any
member
of
our
organisation
or
its
affiliate
associations
such
as
the
actors,
directors,
other
technicians,
producers
or
production
houses
found
cooperating
with
Pakistani
personnel
will
be
subject
to
disciplinary
action.
Further,
we
will
take
all
necessary
steps
to
ensure
that
Abir
Gulaal
is
not
released
in
India.’
Photographs
curated
by
Manisha
Kotian/Rediff
