Author and former Bollywood actress Twinkle Khanna suggested viral singer Dhinchak Pooja re-dub all Abida Parveen songs to teach Pakistan a lesson. The actress has poked fun at the Indian government’s ongoing censorship and quiet ban on Pakistani artists, calling out the erasure of Pakistani talent from Indian entertainment platforms.
In her latest column for The Times of India, Twinkle Khanna highlighted the recent trend of removing Pakistani actors from film posters and music covers without any official explanation. She recounted how, while listening to the soundtrack of Sanam Teri Kasam on Spotify, she noticed that Pakistani actress Mawra Hocane had been edited out of the album cover. Khanna pointed out that other stars, including Fawad Khan and Mahira Khan, have also been erased from digital posters of films like Kapoor & Sons and Raees, despite their prominent roles.
Using her trademark satire, Khanna wrote, “Not wanting to be left behind in doing my duty as a good citizen, I propose that we get all of Abida Parveen and Farida Khanum’s songs re-dubbed by our very own Dhinchak Pooja. That will really teach the Pakistanis a lesson.”
This wave of censorship comes in the wake of heightened cross-border tensions. Since then, Indian platforms have quietly removed films and songs featuring Pakistani artists, with no official ban announced but a clear pattern of exclusion emerging.
The issue has also sparked public disputes. Sanam Teri Kasam actor Harshvardhan Rane accused co-star Mawra Hocane of calling India’s military action “cowardly” and declared he would not participate in the film’s sequel if she was involved. Hocane dismissed his comments as a “PR strategy,” while Rane doubled down, saying he had the right to refuse to work with anyone who insulted his country.
Meanwhile, the upcoming Indo-Pak film Abir Gulaal, starring Fawad Khan and Vaani Kapoor, has been banned in both India and Pakistan, with its songs also removed from YouTube India.
