Actor Dia Mirza has found herself at the center of a social media storm following her comments in support of Fawad Khan’s return to Bollywood with the film Abir Gulaal. The backlash began in the wake of the dastardly Pahalgam terror attack in Kashmir. However, Dia has now clarified that her comments were made before the tragedy — and have been unfairly taken out of context.
In a strongly worded Instagram story, she addressed the media and urged restraint in the way her words are being used. “To Members of the Media, STOP misrepresentation of facts. I did an interview for a film of mine on the 10th of April in which I gave a quote. Long before this horrific terror attack. Stop circulating my quotes NOW weeks after and out of context. This is unethical and deeply offensive,” she wrote.
The quote in question was given to News18 during a promotional interview. Dia had emphasized the role of art in fostering dialogue, not division. “Art should not be mixed with hatred. It is a political question. If the circumstances to seek a ban on artistes were completely… I’ve always believed that art is and should always be the medium of peace and harmony. We should never, ever allow art and sport to be tangled or mixed with hate. It’s just good that Fawad is back in the film, you know that we will be watching soon. I hope this leads to many more such opportunities for other collaborations,” she had said.
The controversy mirrors a similar episode from 2016, when Fawad Khan’s film Ae Dil Hai Mushkil became the target of protests after the Uri attacks. Calls for a ban on Pakistani artistes followed, spearheaded by political groups and film associations. Now, Abir Gulaal faces similar resistance. The Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) and the Federation of Western India Cine Employees (FWICE) have issued fresh demands to block the film’s release. In a statement following the Pahalgam attack, FWICE announced a “complete non-cooperation with all Pakistan artists, singers, and technicians within the Indian film and entertainment industry.” They also vowed to “take all necessary steps to ensure that Abir Gulaal is not released in India.”
Meanwhile, Fawad Khan has also spoken out following the tragedy. In a post shared on Instagram, he wrote, “Deeply saddened to hear the news of the heinous attack in Pahalgam. Our thoughts and prayers are with the victims of this horrifying incident, and we pray for strength and healing for their families in this difficult time.”
