Actor Vaani Kapoor, who is currently facing online criticism for starring alongside Pakistani actor Fawad Khan in their upcoming film Abir Gulaal, expressed her grief over the recent terror attack in Pahalgam, South Kashmir. Taking to Instagram Stories, Vaani wrote she was “numb” and “at a loss of words.”

“Have been numb, at a loss of words since the time I have seen the attack on innocent people in Pahalgam. Gutted. Devastated. My prayers are with the families,” she posted.

The film Abir Gulaal, scheduled to release on May 9, has come under fire on social media, with boycott calls intensifying in the wake of the Pahalgam attack, in which 26 tourists were killed.

Industry voices have joined the protest. Ashoke Pandit, President of the Indian Film & Television Directors’ Association, condemned the collaboration, calling it “an act of war.” He stated, “We’ve repeatedly asked not to work with Pakistanis. People justify it in the name of art, but the nation must come first. Would they still have worked with him if their own family members had been victims?”

Political opposition has also mounted. Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) announced it would not allow Abir Gulaal to release in Maharashtra. MNS cinema wing president Ameya Khopkar wrote on X that despite prior warnings, some filmmakers continue to cast Pakistani actors, referring to them as “rotten mangoes.”

The attack has reignited debate around India-Pakistan cultural ties, with increasing scrutiny on cross-border collaborations in cinema.