Twinkle Khanna mocks India’s ban on Pakistani artists

As Indian authorities continue to ban and censor Pakistani artists across digital platforms, former Bollywood actress and author Twinkle Khanna has taken a satirical jab at the move.

In her latest newspaper column, she jokingly suggested that viral Indian singer Dhinchak Pooja should redub the legendary Abida Parveen’s songs.

Khanna was reflecting on the recent wave of censorship targeting Pakistani actors and musicians, many of whom have been removed from film posters and music platforms like YouTube and Spotify.

“After the recent re-release of Sanam Teri Kasam, I’ve been listening to the soundtrack on repeat. While browsing Spotify, I noticed that actor Mawra Hocane had been edited out of the album cover. Further digging revealed that other Pakistani stars like Fawad Khan and Mahira Khan have similarly been erased from digital posters,” she wrote.

Commenting on the bizarre move by the Indian government and sections of the film industry, Khanna added, “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 redubbed by our very own Dhinchak Pooja. That will really teach the Pakistanis a lesson.”

Read: India blocks Instagram accounts of Hania Amir, Mahira Khan, other celebs

Her remarks come in the wake of a broader digital censorship campaign by Indian authorities targeting Pakistani content and artists across entertainment platforms.

According to Indian media reports, music streaming platforms such as YouTube Music and Spotify have taken down posters featuring Pakistani actors from Indian songs and films.

The move began with actress Mawra Hocane, who was erased from all posters of her debut film Sanam Teri Kasam, including promotional materials for the film’s songs.

Other major Pakistani artists, including Fawad Khan and Mahira Khan, were also removed from Bollywood posters. Fawad was excluded from the posters of Ae Dil Hai Mushkil and Kapoor & Sons, while Mahira was removed from Raees posters.

Following directives from the Indian government, OTT platforms and several YouTube channels had already taken down content featuring Pakistani actors and singers.