A number of high-profile Pakistani actors, such as Mahira Khan, Hania Aamir, and Fawad Khan, are under intense fire after publicly denouncing India’s Operation Sindoor a retaliatory military operation conducted in response to the Pahalgam terror attack that claimed the lives of 26 Indian tourists on April 22.
Operation Sindoor: India Strikes Back
In a joint operation by the Indian Air Force and Army on the night of May 6–7, terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir were targeted and destroyed. The operation is said to have neutralized more than 100 terrorists affiliated with outfits such as Jaish-e-Mohammed, Lashkar-e-Taiba, and Hizbul Mujahideen.
Pakistani actress Mahira Khan, whose only claim to fame is a Bollywood film with Shah Rukh Khan and who recently had her X and Instagram accounts withheld in India, calls the Indian strikes on Jaish, Lashkar, and Hizbul terror infrastructure inside Pakistan cowardly. pic.twitter.com/RTLzNDsoRf
— Sonam Mahajan (@AsYouNotWish) May 7, 2025
Mahira Khan’s Controversial Statement
Actress Mahira Khan, who is popular in India for her appearance alongside Shah Rukh Khan in Raees (2017), condemned the Indian airstrikes in a now-deleted Instagram post, stating, “India, your war and hate rhetoric has continued for many years… You attack cities in the middle of the night and call it a victory? Shame on you.” She also claimed pride in being able to speak openly in Pakistan, which outraged Indian netizens.
Mahira Khan defends the failed terrorist state of Pakistan which harboured Osama Bin Laden. She’s taken a political stand I hope she doesn’t seek work in Bollywood anymore speaking of “Aman & sukoon” pic.twitter.com/crTnCRXeBi
— Swati Chaturvedi (@bainjal) May 7, 2025
Public Indignation and Allegations of Hypocrisy
There was instant backlash. Screenshots of Mahira’s tweet went viral even as her account had been withheld in India. Users accused her of hypocrisy, highlighting her earlier work in Bollywood. One user said, “Her claim to fame is a Bollywood movie. Now she disrespects the same nation.”
Also Read: Shameful and Unjust! Fawad Khan’s Powerful Statement Against Operation Sindoor
Hania Aamir, Fawad Khan Also Targeted
Hania Aamir and Fawad Khan were also criticized for promoting anti-India narratives. The critics wondered how artists who promoted peace through cultural exchange in the past could now seem unconcerned about the lives lost to terror attacks.
No Room for Double Standards
Indian sentiment is unambiguous: there is no room for artists who gain from India’s platforms but do not condemn terrorism against its people.
