May 13, 2025: In a development that reflects the deepening strain in India-Pakistan relations, several Pakistani actors have been quietly removed from digital posters of their Hindi films across music platforms like Spotify and YouTube Music. The move comes amid heightened political tensions following the recent Pahalgam terrorist attack and India’s retaliatory Operation Sindoor.
Actors such as Fawad Khan, Mahira Khan and Mawra Hocane have seen their presence erased from promotional artwork associated with popular Bollywood projects. On Spotify and YouTube Music, the once joint posters of “Kapoor & Sons”, “Raees”, and “Sanam Teri Kasam” now only feature their Indian co-stars.
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Fawad Khan, who played a lead role in Kapoor & Sons alongside Sidharth Malhotra and Alia Bhatt, has been removed from the song poster of Buddhu Sa Mann. The video is also reportedly unavailable for Indian users on YouTube, displaying the message: “Video unavailable. The uploader has not made this video available in your country.”
Similarly, Mahira Khan—who starred opposite Shah Rukh Khan in the 2017 film Raees—has been edited out of the film’s album art, now showing SRK alone. Meanwhile, Mawra Hocane has also been removed from Sanam Teri Kasam’s music covers on streaming apps.
Interestingly, the artwork for the 2014 romantic comedy Khoobsurat, which starred Fawad Khan with Sonam Kapoor, remains unchanged—for now.
Take a look at how netizens reacted:
Netizens on social media seemed impressed by this strong move.
These digital edits come in the wake of India’s strong military response to the recent cross-border terror attacks that claimed 26 lives. In response, Pakistan escalated tensions by violating the ceasefire with artillery and drone attacks. This geopolitical backdrop appears to have prompted the entertainment industry to distance itself from Pakistani talent, in line with the prevailing national sentiment.
The Government of India had earlier issued an advisory to OTT platforms and digital intermediaries under the IT Rules 2021, urging them to avoid showcasing content originating from Pakistan that could threaten India’s sovereignty or strain foreign relations. The advisory also emphasized avoiding content that could incite violence or disrupt public order.
While no official statement has been made by music platforms or film producers regarding these poster changes, the shift signals a larger cultural and political freeze between the two neighboring countries—one that has now found its way into the arts and entertainment sphere.