Mahira Khan, Fawad Khan Removed From Bollywood Song Posters Amid India-Pakistan Tensions

Following the recent Operation Sindoor and subsequent ceasefire, tensions between India and Pakistan have triggered a sweeping wave of content alterations across the Indian entertainment landscape. Prominent Pakistani actors such as Fawad Khan, Mahira Khan, and Mawra Hocane are being digitally edited out of promotional materials for Hindi films and music, reflecting the growing cultural impact of ongoing geopolitical friction.

Music streaming platforms including Spotify and YouTube Music have removed Fawad Khan’s image from the Kapoor & Sons album art, while Mahira Khan has been edited out of Raees posters. The Raees album, which originally featured both Shah Rukh Khan and Mahira, now showcases Shah Rukh Khan alone.

Meanwhile, the popular song “Buddhu Sa Mann” from Kapoor & Sons—which includes scenes featuring Fawad Khan alongside Sidharth Malhotra and Alia Bhatt—is currently inaccessible on YouTube India. Users attempting to view the video are met with a message stating, "Video unavailable." The track, uploaded by Sony Music India, has also had its cover art revised to exclude Fawad.

Similarly, Mawra Hocane’s image has been removed from the digital covers of Sanam Teri Kasam on streaming platforms. Actor Harshvardhan Rane, who starred opposite Mawra in the film and previously declined to collaborate on a sequel, commented on the development, telling Hindustan Times, “Now they will say that my PR team got this done! No, it's again common sense I assume, weeding is being exercised.”

These content alterations align with a broader directive issued by India’s Ministry of Information and Broadcasting. The advisory, released last week, calls on OTT platforms and streaming services to immediately remove all Pakistani-origin content.

"In the interest of national security, all OTT platforms, media streaming platforms, and intermediaries operating in India are advised to discontinue the web series, films, songs, podcasts, and other streaming media content—whether made available on a subscription-based model or otherwise—having its origins in Pakistan with immediate effect," the advisory stated.

The move underscores the expanding intersection of political conflict and popular culture, as the entertainment industry becomes a new arena for expressions of national policy and public sentiment.