Did Vaani Kapoor delete Abir Gulaal posts from Instagram?

Indian actress Vaani Kapoor’s promotional posts for the upcoming film Abir Gulaal, co-starring Pakistani actor Fawad Khan, have disappeared from her Instagram account, amid heightened political tensions following an attack in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK).

The romantic drama, directed by Aarti S Bagdi and produced by Vivek Agrawal, was scheduled for release on May 9.

But after the 26-person death toll from the Pahalgam attack on April 30, political and industry backlash has thrown the project’s future into doubt.

Social media users were quick to notice that all content related to Abir Gulaal—including posters, teasers, and Vaani Kapoor’s photos with Fawad Khan—had vanished from her profile.

The deletions sparked speculation that Vaani Kapoor had intentionally distanced herself from the film.

However, a report by NDTV clarified that the posts were not removed by the actress herself. Instead, the content was originally published as part of Instagram collaborations.

When the production team deleted the original posts from their account, Instagram’s system automatically removed the collaborative content from Vaani Kapoor’s profile as well.

Just days earlier, the Federation of Western India Cine Employees (FWICE) renewed its demand for a ban on Pakistani actors in Indian media, a stance it had previously taken after the Pulwama attack in 2019.

Abir Gulaal had already attracted opposition from right-wing political parties, including the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS).

The group’s spokesperson, Ameya Khopkar, said the party would not allow any film featuring a Pakistani artist to be released in Maharashtra.

In the wake of the attack, Indian media outlets have reported that the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting is reviewing the film’s release. Some sources have suggested the government may block its theatrical run altogether.

Fawad Khan, who had condemned the Pahalgam attack on Instagram as a “heinous act,” is now among several Pakistani celebrities whose accounts are restricted in India.

Users attempting to access Fawad Khan’s Instagram profile from India now see a message that reads: “Account not available in India. This is because we complied with a legal request to restrict this content.”

Other artists, including Mahira Khan, Atif Aslam and Hania Aamir, are also affected by similar platform restrictions.