India might be reeling from their 6-0 defeat against Pakistan, but it seems the heartbreak isn’t limited to the cricket field. In what many are calling a bizarre display of cinematic insecurity, Bollywood has quietly erased Pakistani actress Mahira Khan from Raees promotional material—years after the film’s 2017 release.
Fans were quick to notice that Mahira Khan has vanished from the official thumbnails and posters of Raees, where she starred opposite Bollywood legend Shah Rukh Khan.
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Even more surprisingly, Zee Music went a step further and photoshopped Mahira out of the iconic music video “Zaalima,” leaving Shah Rukh standing alone in romantic misery—waiting, perhaps, for his leading lady to be edited back in.
“Try as they might, Mahira’s presence in the film—and fans’ memories—can’t be erased,” one user commented.
This isn’t the first time Indian media has tried to ‘cleanse’ its visual history of Pakistani stars:
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Mawra Hocane was cropped out of Sanam Teri Kasam posters, hilariously leaving actor Harshvardhan Rane looking like a lone figure taking a cold shower.
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Fawad Khan was removed from promotional content for Kapoor & Sons and its songs. His film projects were shelved amid rising cross-border tensions—though, oddly enough, he still appears on the cover of Khoobsurat.
“To all the angry Indians reading this—better get to work on that Khoobsurat edit,” joked one Pakistani fan online.
The move sparked backlash and plenty of mockery online. Critics called it an example of “soft censorship” driven by misplaced nationalism, while fans mocked the attempt as both childish and ineffective.
Social media platforms buzzed with commentary:
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“You can remove Mahira from your poster, but not from our hearts,” one fan posted.
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“At this point, Shah Rukh Khan should be worried he’s next,” another joked.
Meanwhile, Mahira Khan herself has not commented on the matter, maintaining her usual grace and silence amid controversy.
As relations between India and Pakistan continue to influence art and media, Bollywood’s selective editing of Pakistani stars has become more frequent. While such actions might satisfy some nationalist sentiments, they also highlight an inability to separate politics from art.
In contrast, Pakistani audiences continue to celebrate Indian films and actors, showing a wider cultural tolerance not always returned across the border.
