Ridhi Dogra Defends Working With Fawad Khan in 'Abir Gulaal'

Fawad Khan's Bollywood comeback film, Abir Gulaal, has sparked debate after its teaser release, with some questioning the casting of a Pakistani actor in an Indian movie. Amidst the controversy, actress Ridhi Dogra, who co-stars with Fawad, has defended the decision, stating that there's nothing wrong with working alongside a Pakistani actor.

A video of Ridhi has recently surfaced online, in which she reveals that she thoroughly investigated the legal implications before signing on to Abir Gulaal. She clarified that the Indian government has no objections to the casting, therefore, there's no issue with sharing the screen with a Pakistani actor.

There is no division in art. Whenever we watch a play or a movie, we see only those characters. We don’t see their nationality. That’s what I thought upon deciding to work in the movie. The only thing I checked was if I was allowed to work with someone of the said nationality (Pakistani). And yes, our country and government give us permission. I did that homework. If that wasn’t the case, I wouldn’t have done the film

- Ridhi Dogra

The video, though circulating on social media now, is actually from an interview conducted in November 2024.

This revelation comes just a day after Raj Thackeray's Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) voiced their opposition to the film's release in Maharashtra due to Fawad Khan's casting. “We only learned about this film’s release today when the makers announced it. But we are making it clear that we will not allow this film to release in Maharashtra because it features a Pakistani actor. Under no circumstances will we permit such films to be released in the state. We are gathering more information about the film and will soon issue a full statement," MNS spokesperson Ameya Khopkar told Dainik Bhaskar.

Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Nirupam also weighed in on the controversy, stating, "There is widespread hatred for Pakistan in India. When a film from Pakistan is released, Indian audiences do not prefer watching it. Even if a few people watch it out of curiosity, Pakistani artists have never been able to gain widespread success in India."

Nirupam called on the central government to step in and create a policy regarding the employment of Pakistani actors in India. Abir Gulaal stars Fawad Khan alongside Vaani Kapoor. The film is directed by Aarti S.