Pakistani actress Mawra Hocane’s Instagram account is once again visible to Indian users, months after it was blocked in the wake of strained diplomatic relations between India and Pakistan. The restrictions were put in place following a terror attack in Pahalgam, Kashmir, in April 2025, which led to the deaths of at least 26 civilians, primarily Hindu tourists. The ban had made social media profiles of several Pakistani celebrities inaccessible to users in India.
While Mawra’s account has now become accessible, other prominent Pakistani celebrities such as Mahira Khan, Fawad Khan, Hania Aamir, Atif Aslam, and Wahaj Ali remain unavailable. Their Instagram pages continue to display a restriction message for Indian users, indicating compliance with legal directives.
No Clear Policy Shift Yet
Despite this development, there has been no official clarification from either Meta or Indian authorities regarding the criteria used to restore visibility to some accounts. It remains unclear whether this is an isolated move or part of a phased rollback. Several other Pakistani actors, including Yumna Zaidi, Danish Taimoor, Saba Qamar, and Ahad Raza Mir, have also seen their profiles restored, though the overall approach appears selective.
The original block was part of a larger digital crackdown following the terror attack, which was claimed by a Pakistan-based extremist group. The Indian government had responded by banning Pakistani artists from working in the Indian entertainment industry. This was accompanied by advisories to OTT platforms and digital services to immediately stop streaming Pakistan-origin content, ranging from films and web series to music and podcasts. These actions were supported by provisions under the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021.
Impact on Mawra’s Career
Mawra Hocane had first gained fame in India through her role in the 2016 Bollywood film Sanam Teri Kasam, where she starred alongside Harshvardhan Rane. However, due to the recent diplomatic fallout, she was removed from the sequel. Actor Harshvardhan Rane had publicly declared that he would not return for Sanam Teri Kasam 2 if the original cast was retained, citing concerns over the political climate and statements related to his country.
Following this, the film’s directors confirmed her removal, stating that she would not be part of the upcoming sequel. The production team has since moved forward with casting changes.
Though some users in India can now view selected Pakistani profiles again, the overall digital restrictions remain largely intact.
While Mawra’s account has now become accessible, other prominent Pakistani celebrities such as Mahira Khan, Fawad Khan, Hania Aamir, Atif Aslam, and Wahaj Ali remain unavailable. Their Instagram pages continue to display a restriction message for Indian users, indicating compliance with legal directives.
No Clear Policy Shift Yet
Despite this development, there has been no official clarification from either Meta or Indian authorities regarding the criteria used to restore visibility to some accounts. It remains unclear whether this is an isolated move or part of a phased rollback. Several other Pakistani actors, including Yumna Zaidi, Danish Taimoor, Saba Qamar, and Ahad Raza Mir, have also seen their profiles restored, though the overall approach appears selective.
The original block was part of a larger digital crackdown following the terror attack, which was claimed by a Pakistan-based extremist group. The Indian government had responded by banning Pakistani artists from working in the Indian entertainment industry. This was accompanied by advisories to OTT platforms and digital services to immediately stop streaming Pakistan-origin content, ranging from films and web series to music and podcasts. These actions were supported by provisions under the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021.
Impact on Mawra’s Career
Mawra Hocane had first gained fame in India through her role in the 2016 Bollywood film Sanam Teri Kasam, where she starred alongside Harshvardhan Rane. However, due to the recent diplomatic fallout, she was removed from the sequel. Actor Harshvardhan Rane had publicly declared that he would not return for Sanam Teri Kasam 2 if the original cast was retained, citing concerns over the political climate and statements related to his country.
Following this, the film’s directors confirmed her removal, stating that she would not be part of the upcoming sequel. The production team has since moved forward with casting changes.
Though some users in India can now view selected Pakistani profiles again, the overall digital restrictions remain largely intact.
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