Mahira Khan & Fawad Khan: AICWA strongly CONDEMNS and reaffirms a complete BAN on Pakistani actors Mahira Khan and Fawad Khan for their ‘anti-India’ statements |

On 7 May, just past midnight, India launched ‘Operation Sindoor‘ – a powerful military strike carried out by the Army, Navy, and Air Force. This joint operation destroyed nine terrorist bases in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). While many Indian stars praised the Armed Forces, some Pakistani celebrities took a very different tone. Mahira Khan, Fawad Khan, and Hania Aamir criticised India with harsh comments.

AICWA’s response to Pakistani actors

In a post on X (formerly Twitter), AICWA strongly condemned Mahira and Fawad for their comments, calling them anti-India and deeply disrespectful.“The All Indian Cine Workers Association (AICWA) strongly condemns the anti-India statements made by Pakistani actress Mahira Khan and actor Fawad Khan, who have openly criticised India and questioned the nation’s actions in defence of its sovereignty. Mahira Khan labelled India’s military response as a ‘Seriously Cowardly’ act, while Fawad Khan, instead of condemning terrorism, focused on criticising India’s stance and supporting divisive narratives.”AICWA said the remarks were an insult to the lives lost to terrorism and the soldiers who laid down their lives for the country. The group reaffirmed its stand against allowing Pakistani talent in Indian cinema or media.“These statements are not just disrespectful to our nation but also an insult to the countless innocent lives lost due to terrorism and the brave soldiers who sacrificed their lives for our country. AICWA reaffirms its strict and complete ban on Pakistani artists, filmmakers, and financiers working in India. No Indian artist will collaborate with any Pakistani talent, nor will any global platform be shared with them.”

Music industry under fire too

The association didn’t stop at actors. It also criticised Indian music companies and singers for continuing to work with Pakistani artists despite ongoing tensions. “It is unfortunate that several Indian music companies continue to promote Pakistani artists, giving them frequent work and exposure. Many Indian singers also share stages with these artists globally, ignoring the sentiments of the nation. AICWA calls upon these companies and individuals to stop supporting Pakistani talent and to stand with the nation.”

‘Abir Gulaal’ makers also slammed

The film ‘Abir Gulaal’, which stars Fawad Khan, also came under fire. AICWA blasted the producers for casting a Pakistani actor after previous terror attacks, like the Pulwama incident in 2019, where several Indian soldiers were killed. “AICWA strongly condemns the filmmakers, producers, and artists of the film ‘Abir Gulaal’ for casting Pakistani actor Fawad Khan despite the Pulwama attack, where several Indian soldiers were martyred… This is a disgrace to the sacrifices made by our brave soldiers.”

‘Nation First’, says AICWA

The statement ended with a strong message to everyone in the Indian entertainment world, “Indian artists and filmmakers must decide whether they will stand with their nation or continue to engage with those who openly oppose it. Those who insult our nation under the pretext of freedom of speech should not be given the privilege of working in our industry. AICWA stands firmly with the nation, upholding the principle of ‘Nation First’.”See More:After India puts ban on Pakistani artists, Youtube channels and Instagram accounts of actors like Hania Aamir, Pakistan pulls off Indian songs from its radio stations

Meanwhile, Bollywood stars have shown strong support for the Indian Armed forces. Alia Bhatt, Akshay Kumar, Shahid Kapoor, Ayushmann Khurrana, and Ajay Devgn praised the forces for their calm and careful approach. Actress Kangana Ranaut showed her support for the Indian Armed Forces after the successful strikes under ‘Operation Sindoor’. On her X handle, she wrote, “Operation Sindoor: Zero tolerance to terror. The Indian Armed Forces launched a precision mission, Operation Sindoor; 9 terror camps across Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu & Kashmir neutralized (sic).”The ‘Emergency’ actress also shared video clips of the deadly terrorist attack on April 22 in Pahalgam, along with a part of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s speech where he promised a strong and fitting reply to Pakistan.