Pakistani actors are no longer visible on album artwork for Indian film soundtracks on several major music platforms, including Spotify and YouTube Music.
One of the affected titles is Sanam Teri Kasam (2016). The album previously featured both lead actors, Harshvardhan Rane and Mawra Hocane. It now shows only Harshvardhan Rane.
Mawra Hocane’s image has been removed from music and streaming platforms without a formal announcement.
Earlier, Harshvardhan Rane said he would not participate in Sanam Teri Kasam 2 if Mawra Hocane returned to the cast. Her image was removed from the promotional artwork shortly after.
Producer Deepak Mukut said he was not informed about the change. “They didn’t ask me. It’s their decision. Whatever our government says, everyone has to follow,” he said.
A similar update was observed for Raees (2017), a film starring Shah Rukh Khan and Mahira Khan. The cover art for the song Zaalima, which earlier showed both actors, now includes only Shah Rukh Khan.
These changes follow earlier removals of Pakistani content from Indian streaming platforms after the Pulwama and Pahalgam attacks. At that time, several services stopped featuring Pakistani music and television shows.
There is currently no official policy directing platforms to edit past album artwork, but the trend suggests a wider alignment with political sentiment.
Other Pakistani actors, including Fawad Khan, have also seen their appearances reduced on digital platforms. His roles in Kapoor & Sons and Ae Dil Hai Mushkil remain available, but his presence in related visuals has been limited.
Promotional content for Abir Gulaal, a cross-border romantic drama starring Indian actress Vaani Kapoor and Pakistani actor Fawad Khan, also disappeared from Kapoor’s Instagram account amid rising political tensions following the Pahalgam attack.
The film, directed by Aarti S Bagdi and produced by Vivek Agrawal, was slated for a May 9 release but now faces uncertainty. The deletions led to speculation Kapoor had distanced herself from the project, though NDTV reported the posts were automatically removed after the production team deleted the original collaborative uploads.
The development follows renewed calls from the Federation of Western India Cine Employees (FWICE) to ban Pakistani talent from Indian media, with opposition also voiced by right-wing groups including the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS).
Music tracks featuring the actors have not been removed. No official statements have been issued by Spotify, YouTube Music, or production houses regarding the updates.
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