Actor Jackie Shroff made an appearance at the World Audio Visual and Entertainment Summit (WAVES) 2025, where he shared his thoughts on global unity, Pahalgam terror attack, and the ongoing social media restrictions placed on Pakistani celebrities in India.
WAVES 2025 comes at a time of heightened tensions between India and Pakistan following the Pahalgam terror attack on April 22 that claimed 26 lives.
At the event, Jackie paid tribute to the victims, stating, "I pay my tributes to the families of the Pahalgam terror attack victims. Everyone is pained by it."
When asked about the ban on Pakistani celebrities' Instagram handles in India, the actor responded cautiously, saying, "We don't want to interfere in government policy and create controversy."
He added, "Jo abhi sitaution hai, uske hisaab se ye accha hai ki thoda sa faasla rahe. Aur jab tak Prime Minister kuch nahi bolte, hum bacche log kya bolenge? (Given the current situation, it's better to maintain a bit of distance. And until the Prime Minister says something, what can we youngsters say)."
His comments came just a day after several prominent Pakistani celebrities, including Mahira Khan, Hania Aamir, Sajal Aly, and Iqra Aziz, found their Instagram accounts inaccessible in India. Indian users attempting to visit these profiles were met with a message that read, "Account not available in India. This is because we complied with a legal request to restrict this content."
The Indian government’s move to block social media accounts and even YouTube channels of Pakistani celebrities and entertainment production houses is being seen as part of broader action in response to the Pahalgam attack.
The decision has stirred conversation on social media, with fans on both sides of the border expressing mixed emotions.
