India-Pakistan War Update: Concerts Postponed, Shows Cancelled; Impact of India-Pak Tensions on The Entertainment Industry

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India-Pakistan War Affect: After the brutal terrorist attack in Pahalgam on 22 April, 2025, the Indian Armed Forces carried out a tri-service military operation named “Operation Sindoor” on the night of 6-7 May, targeting the terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan Occupied Jammu & Kashmir (PoJK). The operation featured targeted strikes on nine sites—four in Pakistan and five in PoJK—associated with anti-India terrorist groups, including the LeT, JeM, and Hizbul Mujahideen. The targets included Muridke (LeT headquarters) and Bahawalpur (JeM headquarters). After this, the tensions have risen to a greater extent between the two countries, significantly affecting various sectors. 

Entertainment Industry After India-Pak Tensions

Among the affected sectors, the film industry has found itself entwined with the rising tensions between India and Pakistan. From the cancellation of shows to the postponement of film releases, here are a few things that happened in the Indian Film Industry after India-Pakistan tensions.

Advisory For OTT Platforms

In a significant move, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (I&B) issued an advisory encouraging all streaming sites to remove content from Pakistan. This includes films, web shows, music, and other digital media, independent of subscription arrangements.

Pakistani Shows Removed From OTT

Shows like Zindagi Gulzar Hai and Humsafar, which were popular among Indian audiences, are no longer available to stream. Zee Zindagi has cancelled its Pakistani series, including the highly anticipated “Barzakh,” starring Fawad Khan and Sanam Saeed. YouTube channels such as Hum TV and ARY Digital were already banned in India prior to the advice, as part of a bigger digital crackdown. OTT sites, including Netflix, Prime Video, and JioHotstar, had already removed Pakistani content in previous months.

Shows Postponed, Concert Cancelled

Bollywood superstar Salman Khan has also made a significant decision to support and stand with the country by delaying his UK tour. In addition, the Indo-Pak conflict has caused the unveiling of the statue of Shah Rukh Khan and Kajol depicting a scene from DDLJ in London to be delayed. The Bollywood stars’ statue was supposed to be installed in London’s Leicester Square. Bollywood singer Arijit Singh has postponed his Abu Dhabi tour in the wake of Operation Sindoor due to Indo-Pak tensions. The artist had previously announced that his Chennai show had been cancelled. Singer Shreya Ghoshal has also postponed her Homecoming concert in Mumbai. 

Additionally, Kamal Haasan has delayed the release of the “Thug Life” song. Both Rishab Rikhiram Sharma’s event in Indore and Usha Uthup’s concert in Mumbai were cancelled. Furthermore, expressing respect for the present national emotion, the cast of Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah cancelled a scheduled Mother’s Day celebration.

Movie Releases Shifting to OTT

As filmmakers adjust to the sensitive environment, the theatres are likewise seeing sudden adjustments to their release plans. The highly anticipated film “Bhool Chuk Maaf,” starring Rajkummar Rao and Wamiqa Gabbi, was cancelled for its theatrical release on May 9. Rather, on May 16, the movie will be released directly on Prime Video. Apart from this, the second season of TVF’s family comedy “Very Parivarik” has also been delayed, with no new release date announcement.  

Abir Gulaal Movie Banned

The release of Abir Gulaal, starring Vaani Kapoor and Pakistani musician Fawad Khan, has been banned. The film has not been permitted to be released in India because of the controversy surrounding it following the Pahalgam terrorist attack. In addition, Fawad Khan and other Pakistani performers are already banned in India.

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