May 1, 2025: Pakistani actor Arsalan Naseer has stirred up controversy on social media by accusing fellow actor Fawad Khan of being behind the recent restriction of Pakistani actors’ Instagram accounts in India. The controversy surrounds the fact that several popular Pakistani actors, including Hania Aamir and Mahira Khan, have seen their Instagram accounts become inaccessible to Indian users. In a lighthearted yet pointed jibe, Arsalan took to his social media platforms, Instagram and X (formerly Twitter), to call out Fawad Khan.
In his post, Arsalan humorously referred to Fawad Khan as “Ice Age wali gilehri,” comparing him to the saber-toothed squirrel from the Ice Age movie franchise known for its bad luck. Arsalan’s post read: “Fawad Bhai film ap ne ki…. masla border pe shuru ho gaya…. ban mai ho gaya (Fawad Bhai did a film, there are tensions at the border, but I am getting banned)…. Mind na kerna lekin aap wo ‘Ice Age’ wali Gulehri hain… (please don’t mind but you are the squirrel from Ice Age).”
This playful but critical remark seems to stem from the escalating tensions between India and Pakistan, which have sometimes had an impact on the entertainment industry, including social media restrictions. While the precise reason for the Instagram ban remains unclear, Arsalan’s post humorously suggests that Fawad Khan’s latest project Abir Gulaal, in which he stars alongside Vaani Kapoor, may have played a role in the controversy.
Interestingly, while Arsalan made the accusation, both of his social media accounts remain visible and accessible to users in India as of now, raising questions about the actual impact of these social media restrictions on Pakistani actors. Nevertheless, this incident has added to the ongoing discourse surrounding the influence of geopolitics on the entertainment industry.