Sunny Deol voices support for Pakistani actors working in Bollywood

Indian actor Sunny Deol recently shared his thoughts on Pakistani artists working in India, particularly following Fawad Khan’s return to Bollywood after a long hiatus. He emphasised that actors should be free to work anywhere in the world.

In an interview with Indian media, Sunny Deol was asked about his patriotic films, such as Border and Gadar, which depicted Pakistan as an adversary. He chose not to comment on the ongoing political tensions between the two nations.

“See, I wouldn’t like to go on to the political side because that’s where things start getting messy,” he remarked.

The actor was also asked about Fawad Khan's recent return to Bollywood.

“We are actors; we work for everyone all over the world. Even if somebody is watching or not, we are for everyone. So, aisi koi baat nahi hain [nothing like that],” Sunny Deol explained.

He continued, “The more the way the world has become, we should stay global and let there be more countries; that’s the way it should be.”

Read: Fawad Khan's appearance in upcoming movie 'Abir Gulaal' stirs controversy in India

Pakistani actors were banned from working in India following the 2016 Uri attacks, with the ban intensified after the 2019 Pulwama attack.

On the other hand, the Supreme Court of India dismissed a petition seeking a ban on Pakistani artists from performing or working in India in November 2023.

Fawad Khan has officially returned to Bollywood after nine years, as the teaser for his upcoming Indian film Abir Gulaal was released on the second day of Eid. The film is set to hit cinemas on May 9.

Despite longstanding political tensions affecting artistic collaborations between India and Pakistan, some artists are still finding creative ways to connect through movies and dramas, proving that cultural ties can sometimes transcend political divides.

Pakistani artists like Fawad Khan, Mahira Khan, Imran Abbas, and Mawra Hussain have made their mark in the Indian film industry.