After months of delays and uncertainty, Fawad Khan’s much-awaited Bollywood film, Abir Gulaal, finally has a worldwide release date set for August 29. However, the film will not be shown in India.
The decision comes after renewed tensions between India and Pakistan earlier this year, which led to a ban on Pakistani artists working in India. The film, which was originally scheduled for a May 9 release, had to change its plans after the political situation worsened and calls for a boycott grew louder in India.
Abir Gulaal is Fawad Khan’s first Indian film in nearly a decade, making the news especially disappointing for his fans. The movie’s teaser and songs had received a positive response before the ban was reinstated, but the changing political climate led to heavy criticism and online backlash, especially towards the cast.
Vani Kapoor, who stars alongside Khan, addressed the negativity in a recent interview, saying, “There’s so much hate and toxicity… I keep hearing ‘boycott this, cancel that.’ Please, let people be.” Ridhi Dogra, another cast member, explained that she joined the project when relations between the two countries were calmer, and said she followed all the rules at the time.
Directed by Aarti S Bagadi, Abir Gulaal tells the story of two people who meet by chance, help each other heal, and eventually fall in love. The cast also features Lisa Haydon, Farida Jalal, Soni Razdan, Parmeet Sethi, and Rahul Vohra. The film is produced by Rakesh Sippy, Firuzi Khan, and Vivek Aggarwal.
While Abir Gulaal will be released internationally, there is still no word on whether it will be screened in Pakistan. Indian films are generally banned in Pakistan, though some exceptions are made for movies produced outside India, like the recent Sardaar Ji 3.
For now, fans outside India and Pakistan will be the first to see Fawad Khan’s return to Bollywood on the big screen.
How ironic that Demon slayer defeated this 😆 🤣
And demon slayer didn’t even have fawad khan