Category: Entertainment

Amid rising tensions between India and Pakistan following the April 22 Pahalgam massacre and India’s retaliatory Operation Sindoor, several Pakistani actors have been removed from Bollywood film posters and music thumbnails on various platforms. The move comes in the wake of a government advisory and growing public sentiment over the escalating cross-border hostilities. Actors Mawra Hocane, Fawad Khan, and Mahira Khan — who have previously featured in popular Bollywood films — have had their images removed from promotional materials across streaming platforms. Hocane no longer appears on the Sanam Teri Kasam (2016) poster on Amazon Music and Spotify, leaving only Harshvardhan Rane visible. Mahira Khan has been erased from the thumbnail of the hit song Zaalima from Raees (2016) on YouTube, which now features Shah Rukh Khan alone. Similarly, Fawad Khan is missing from the Kapoor & Sons (2016) poster on Spotify, with only Alia Bhatt and Sidharth Malhotra shown. This development also follows a heated online exchange between Mawra Hocane and Harshvardhan Rane, after Rane publicly declined to participate in Sanam Teri Kasam 2 if Hocane returned. He cited her recent comments criticizing India’s military actions as a key reason. Hocane responded by accusing Rane of using the situation as a “PR strategy,” prompting him to defend his stance as “common sense” and a response to a personal attack on his country. The controversy intensified after several Pakistani stars, including Hocane, Fawad, and Mahira, condemned India’s air strikes on Pakistani territory carried out on May 7. These operations were part of India’s response to the Pahalgam attack, which left 26 people dead. Hocane labeled the Indian operation as a “cowardly attack,” while Mahira Khan accused India of “hate rhetoric” and “silencing dissent through fear.” Fawad Khan also criticized the air strike, calling for restraint and mourning the loss of innocent lives. Earlier, both Hocane and Fawad had expressed condolences for victims of the April 22 attack, calling it a “horrifying incident” and offering prayers for the affected families. On May 8, India’s Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) issued an official advisory directing OTT and digital media platforms to remove all Pakistani-origin content, citing national security concerns. Following this, several Pakistani celebrities’ social media accounts — including those of Mahira Khan, Hania Aamir, Atif Aslam, Ali Zafar, Mawra Hocane, and Fawad Khan — were restricted or blocked for Indian users. This series of actions reflects the sharp deterioration in cultural and media ties between the two nations amid heightened geopolitical tensions.

Riteish Deshmukh is riding high on the success of Raid 2, which has surpassed ₹112 crore at the box office, reaffirming his position as one of Bollywood’s most bankable stars. The film, which features Deshmukh alongside Ajay Devgn, has received strong positive feedback from audiences and critics alike, contributing significantly to its commercial triumph. This marks yet another feather in Deshmukh’s cap, following a string of box office hits such as Total Dhamaal, the Housefull series, Grand Masti, and Ek Villain, all of which have crossed the ₹100 crore milestone. His consistent appeal to a broad spectrum of viewers has made him a reliable figure in commercially successful cinema. A notable factor in the film’s success is the enduring on-screen camaraderie between Riteish Deshmukh and Ajay Devgn. Their past collaborations, including Cash and Masti, were both well-received, and their chemistry continues to resonate with audiences, serving as a proven formula for box office success. Beyond acting, Deshmukh has also made a significant mark in Marathi cinema through his production house, Mumbai Film Company. His contribution to regional cinema has been lauded for promoting fresh talent and bringing compelling stories to the forefront. With Raid 2 adding another blockbuster to his repertoire, Riteish Deshmukh’s multi-faceted contributions to Indian cinema continue to flourish, both on and off the screen.

The sudden cancellation of the theatrical release of Bhool Chuk Maaf, starring Rajkummar Rao and Wamiqa Gabbi, has sparked a major dispute between PVR INOX and Maddock Films, now playing out in the Bombay High Court. What Happened? Originally scheduled to hit cinemas on May 9, Bhool Chuk Maaf was pulled from its theatrical release just a day after the Pahalgam terror attack, with Maddock Films citing “heightened security drills” as the reason. The family entertainer is now slated to stream directly on Amazon Prime Video from May 16, globally. PVR’s Legal Stand According to a report , a top exhibitor confirmed that PVR has taken legal action, accusing Maddock Films of a breach of contract: “All the contracts were signed, and then suddenly Maddock backed off. Hence, this is a case of breach,” the exhibitor said. Maddock’s Possible Defense An insider speculated that Maddock may invoke the ‘force majeure’ clause—citing unforeseen national events like the terror attack—as a legitimate reason to bypass contractual obligations. However, exhibitors argue that Maddock could have simply delayed the release instead of opting for an OTT premiere, suggesting the real reason may have been poor advance bookings. Industry Impact This legal action may set a precedent. Exhibitors reportedly want to deter other production houses from bypassing theatrical commitments for quick OTT releases, especially at the last minute. Ticket Sales & Expectations Despite Maddock’s reasoning, reports suggest that Bhool Chuk Maaf had already sold over 3,000 tickets at PVR INOX and Cinepolis, and was projected to earn around ₹4 crore on its opening day. Film Details: Bhool Chuk Maaf

Superstar Mohanlal has yet again rewritten box office history with his latest drama thriller Thudarum, which has become the highest-grossing film ever at the Kerala box office. Directed by Tharun Moorthy, the film surpassed the lifetime gross of the 2023 survival thriller 2018 Movie—which previously held the record with ₹88.50 crore—by collecting ₹90.25 crore in just 16 days. The film’s phenomenal run is far from over, as it now aims to enter the rare ₹100 crore club in Kerala, a milestone expected to be crossed later this week. On the global front, Thudarum is also making waves. The film is set to cross ₹200 crore in worldwide gross on its 17th day, having already collected around ₹196 crore in its first 16 days. With this, Thudarum is poised to become only the third Malayalam film to reach this benchmark, following Manjummel Boys (₹241 crore) and Empuraan (₹267 crore). In terms of regional and international distribution: With this success, Thudarum marks a back-to-back ₹200 crore grosser for Mohanlal, following the monumental performance of Empuraan. The consistent box office dominance reaffirms his position as one of Indian cinema’s most bankable superstars.

Actor Harshvardhan Rane has announced that he will not be a part of the Sanam Teri Kasam sequel if Mawra Hocane, his Pakistani co-star from the original film, reprises her role. The actor cited Hocane’s recent social media post condemning India’s Operation Sindoor as the reason for his decision. “After reading the direct comments made about my country, I have made a decision to respectfully decline to be part of Sanam Teri Kasam Part 2 if there is any possibility of the previous cast being repeated,” Rane wrote in an Instagram story on Saturday. He also shared a screenshot of Hocane’s post from X (formerly Twitter), which called India’s May 7 airstrikes on terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan a “cowardly attack.” Hocane’s post read, “Strongly condemn India’s cowardly attack on Pakistan. Innocent civilians have lost their lives… May Allah protect us all… may sense prevail. Ya Allah ho Ya Hafizo.” Reacting to her comments, Rane added, “I respect all artists and humans of this country, that country, Kenya and even Mars, but this kind of derogatory remarks about my country by anyone is unpardonable. Am okay with losing out on followers on Instagram, but won’t allow anyone to walk over the pride and upbringing. Standing by your country is good, but disrespectful, hateful remarks about other country is not.” Sanam Teri Kasam, directed by Radhika Rao and Vinay Sapru, was released on February 5, 2016, and starred Rane as Inder, a reclusive ex-convict, and Hocane as Saru, a reserved librarian. Their tragic love story struck a chord with audiences during its re-release in February 2025, earning nearly ₹50 crore at the domestic box office despite its original run being commercially underwhelming. With the sequel reportedly in early development, the casting decisions may now take a significant turn given Rane’s firm stance. Meanwhile, Harshvardhan Rane is set to appear next in Milap Zaveri’s musical drama Deewaniyat, expected to release later this year.