Pakistan bans Indian films citing absurd reasons: Movies were banned over storylines like a Muslim girl (Zoya) falling in love with a Hindu boy, the presence of the Indian national flag (Tiranga), and even the use of the word "pad."

After the April 22 terrorist attack in Pahalgam, India has taken a tough stand against Pakistan. Pakistani actor Fawad Khan was all set to make a Bollywood comeback, but now all Pakistani artists have been completely banned from working in India.

While this major decision followed the terror attack, Pakistan has previously banned several Indian films for bizarre and often politically or culturally motivated reasons. These include popular titles like Raanjhanaa, Phantom, Jolly LLB 2, Padman, and Race 3 — totaling around 36 films.

Some movies were banned simply because they showed Pakistan in a negative light or depicted Pakistani characters losing. Others were barred over Hindu-Muslim love stories, the use of the word "pad," or for featuring India’s national anthem or flag (Tiranga).

Ironically, even films starring Pakistani actors — such as Raees, Tere Bin Laden, and Ae Dil Hai Mushkil — faced bans in Pakistan.

These Indian Films Were Also Banned in Pakistan:

Jolly LLB 2 (2017): Banned due to its depiction of terrorism in Jammu & Kashmir, which Pakistan found objectionable.
Veere Di Wedding (2018): Starring Kareena Kapoor, Sonam Kapoor, and Swara Bhaskar, the film was banned in Pakistan due to the use of vulgar language by female characters.
Ambarsariya (2016): Banned for mentioning India’s intelligence agency, RAW.
Udta Punjab (2016): The film was blocked due to excessive use of profanity and drug-related content.
Calendar Girls (2015): A controversial dialogue led to the film being banned in Pakistan.
Shivaay (2015): Banned amid rising India-Pakistan border tensions at the time of release.
Haider (2014): Starring Shahid Kapoor and Shraddha Kapoor, it portrayed the Kashmir insurgency. Due to the sensitive political content, the Pakistani censor board denied certification.
Khiladi 786 (2012): Initially banned solely because of its title, which included the number "786" — a sacred number in Islam. The film was later released in Pakistan after removing “786” from the title.

Despite Bans, Indian Films Remain Popular in Pakistan

Since 2019, Pakistan has officially banned the release of all Indian films. However, the popularity of Bollywood remains strong. In fact, Shah Rukh Khan’s Pathaan was reportedly screened illegally in a private theater in Karachi. After learning about the screening, Pakistan’s censor board took strict action and stopped the show.