Pakistani Actor Mawra Hocane’s Instagram Visible in India Again Months After Ban

Pakistani actor Mawra Hocane’s Instagram account is once again visible to users in India, months after it was blocked in the aftermath of a terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir. The move comes amid ongoing restrictions on Pakistani artists in India. Several Indian users on Tuesday were able to view Hocane’s Instagram profile, which had remained inaccessible since April. The account was blocked following the Pahalgam terror attack that left 26 people dead. In response, Indian authorities had enforced a blanket ban on Pakistani entertainers, including blocking their social media accounts in the country.

While Mawra's account has now resurfaced, the Instagram handles of several other Pakistani celebrities — including Mahira Khan, Atif Aslam, Fawad Khan, and Hania Aamir — remain blocked in India.

Hocane had earlier sparked controversy after criticising India’s Operation Sindoor in a social media post. She called the operation “cowardly,” a remark that triggered public outrage and led to widespread industry backlash.

Coincidentally, just hours before her account became visible again, Hocane shared a fan-made reel on her Instagram story featuring her appearances in the 2016 Bollywood film Sanam Teri Kasam. The film was her breakthrough project in India.

However, Mawra has now been officially dropped from the upcoming sequel to Sanam Teri Kasam. Actor Harshvardhan Rane, who starred opposite her in the original, announced on Instagram that he would not be part of the sequel if any member of the previous cast was retained.

“While I am grateful for the experience, I have decided to decline participation in Sanam Teri Kasam Part 2 if there is any possibility of the earlier cast being repeated,” he wrote.

Directors Radhika Rao and Vinay Sapru later confirmed Hocane’s exit from the project. “Mawra definitely nahi hai,” they said, confirming she would not be part of the film.