3 min read
In a quiet but significant move, major music platforms such as Spotify and YouTube Music have updated album artwork for several Indian film soundtracks, eliminating images of Pakistani actors. Notably, the Pak actors removed from Bollywood streaming platforms include those featured in well-known projects, despite no official policy being announced.
One of the key examples is the 2016 film Sanam Teri Kasam, whose original album art showed both lead actors, Harshvardhan Rane and Mawra Hocane. The revised artwork now features only Rane, with Hocane’s image removed without any public explanation.
The removal coincided with Rane’s recent comments, where he refused to work in the upcoming Sanam Teri Kasam 2 if Hocane returned. Hocane had previously called out India’s cowardly airstrikes in Pakistan. The promotional visuals were updated shortly after. When approached, producer Deepak Mukut stated that he was not consulted. “It’s their decision. Whatever our government says, everyone has to follow,” he remarked.
Political Undertones Shape Streaming Decisions
A similar case involves Shah Rukh Khan and Pakistani actress Mahira Khan in 2017’s Raees. The original artwork for the hit track Zaalima featured both stars, but it now displays only Shah Rukh Khan. These edits are the latest in a series of content removals that followed the Pulwama and Pahalgam terror attacks, during which several platforms pulled Pakistani shows and music.
There is no official directive mandating the revision of historic album visuals, but the Pak actors removed from Bollywood streaming platforms indicate a broader shift in alignment with India’s political narrative.
Actors like Fawad Khan are also being digitally sidelined. While his films Kapoor & Sons and Ae Dil Hai Mushkil remain online, his presence in related visuals is now minimal. Meanwhile, Abir Gulaal—a cross-border romantic film starring Khan and Indian actress Vaani Kapoor—has encountered uncertainty. Promotional posts about the movie have vanished from Kapoor’s Instagram, raising speculations she is distancing herself due to political sensitivities. However, NDTV clarified that these posts were automatically removed when the production team deleted the original collaborative uploads.
These developments follow fresh demands by the Federation of Western India Cine Employees (FWICE) and the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) to reinforce a ban on Pakistani artists in Indian media.
Although the tracks featuring Pakistani actors remain accessible, neither streaming platforms nor film producers have issued official comments on the sudden changes, keeping users and fans in the dark about the evolving digital erasure of cross-border collaborations.
