Mumbai: Just when Pakistani artists were slowly making their way back into the Indian entertainment space after years of restrictions, the Pahalgam terror attack in April 2025 changed everything once again. In the aftermath of the incident, the Indian government imposed stricter bans not just on Pakistani actors entering Bollywood, but also blocking their Instagram pages and barring Pakistani dramas in India.
Now, the controversy has reignited after Pakistani superstar Ayeza Khan made an appearance on the Instagram page of popular Indian celebrity designer Abhinav Mishra. The designer shared photos of Ayeza in a stunning blue mirror-work lehenga from his new collection.
While some praised her look and elegance, a large section of the internet slammed the designer for featuring a Pakistani actress amid such sensitive times.
Several netizens are still criticizing the timing of the post, calling it “insensitive” and “disrespectful.”
However, it is to be noted that Ayeza and Abhinav had collaborated for this campaign much before the Pahalgam attack took place. The shoot and the deal were locked earlier this year, and some users online are calling out the outrage.
“People are blaming the designer, but let’s be real — this campaign was shot before the tension between the two countries. They’ve already invested money in it. Why are people being so unrealistic?” a comment read.
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