Actress Dia Mirza on Thursday clarified that her comments supporting Pakistani actor Fawad Khan’s return to Bollywood with Abir Gulaal were made before the Pahalgam attack and carried out of context in some media reports.

“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 on Instagram.

Fawad was set to make his Bollywood comeback after nine years with Abir Gulaal, a film that has been facing backlash and boycott calls following the April 22 attack in Kashmir.

Members of the Indian Film & Television Directors’ Association have strongly objected to the release of films starring Pakistani artists in India. Amid the escalating tension, Dia Mirza’s old comments surfaced online.

Dia, in an interview, had spoken positively about the return of Pakistani actors to Bollywood. She stated that art should be seen as a medium for peace and unity, not one influenced by hate or politics. She also expressed hope for more cross-border collaborations in the future.

“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,” Dia said in an interview to News18.

A terror attack on tourists at a well-known meadow near Pahalgam on the afternoon of April 22 claimed at least 26 lives.

Indian film associations like IMPPA and AICWA had banned Pakistani artists from working in Bollywood following the 2016 Uri terror attack. In 2023, the Bombay High Court dismissed a petition seeking to officially ban Pakistani artists from working in India. However, there has been an unofficial ban on Pakistani artists working in Indian films since 2016, say industry insiders.

Before the Pahalgam attack, Abir Gulaal makers faced backlash from Maharashtra Navnirman Sena for casting Fawad. MNS said in a statement that they will not allow the release of the film in Maharashtra.

Fawad Khan made his Bollywood debut with the 2014 romcom film Khoobsurat, which also stars Sonam Kapoor. The 43-year-old actor earned heartthrob status in India, followed by the release of his other two films, Kapoor & Sons (2016) and Ae Dil Hain Mushkil (2016).