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After a nine-year hiatus, actor Fawad Khan is set to make his return to Bollywood with the movie Abir Gulaal. However, just a day after the announcement, the film faced major backlash from political leaders over Khan’s return to Indian cinema.

Following the film’s announcement, a political leader from Raj Thackeray-led Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) condemned Khan's return, stating that any movie starring a Pakistani actor will not be released in India.

Also read: Fawad Khan serenades Vaani Kapoor with a Bollywood song in the first teaser of Abir Gulaal, watch

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In a social media post on X, Ameya Khopkar, the president of the MNS' cinema wing, said that they will not allow the release of a movie featuring a Pakistani actor in Maharashtra.

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''Despite saying so many times that films by Pakistani artists will not be released in India, some nasty mangoes are still being pulled out. Then the people of MNS will have to do the work of throwing them in the trash and we will do it, and will continue to do it… We will not allowe 'Abir Gulal' to be released in India in any manner. Those who want to take Pakistani artists to task, let them be happy, but remember that the match is with us,'' Khopkar wrote on X. 

Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Nirupam has also expressed his views on Khan's work. 

As reported by Dainik Bhaskar, Nirupam said, “When a film is released from Pakistan, Indian people do not like to watch it. It is a different thing to watch one or two films for a minute, but the films of Pakistani artists do not become very popular among the Indian audience. That is why Pakistani stars have never been able to succeed in India. I would advise Pakistanis that instead of exploring the Indian market, it is better to work in their own country. If the central government has made a policy, it should be implemented. I believe that the government should decide whether Pakistani films should be allowed to come to India or not. Whether Pakistani artists should be allowed to work in India or not should also be the government’s decision.”

First Teaser of Abir Gulaal Released

On April 1, the first teaser of the upcoming film Abir Gulaal was unveiled, featuring Fawad Khan alongside Bollywood star Vaani Kapoor.

The teaser opens with Fawad and Vaani sitting inside a car as rain pours outside. In the clip, Fawad is seen singing Kumar Sanu’s ''Kuch Na Kaho.''

Abir Gulaal marks Fawad’s return to the Indian screen after nearly nine years. He was last seen in Karan Johar's Ae Dil Hai Mushkil (2016).