Last Updated:
Harshvardhan Rane responds to Mawra Hocane’s “PR stunt” jab after refusing to star in Sanam Teri Kasam 2 amid India-Pakistan tensions.
As tensions rise between India and Pakistan post-Operation Sindoor, actor Harshvardhan Rane has publicly refused to work with his Sanam Teri Kasam co-star Mawra Hocane in the sequel.
As cross-border tensions between India and Pakistan escalate in the aftermath of Operation Sindoor, a digital war of words has erupted between actors Harshvardhan Rane and Mawra Hocane—former co-stars of the 2016 romantic drama Sanam Teri Kasam.
The controversy began when Harshvardhan Rane recently announced via Instagram that he would not return for Sanam Teri Kasam 2 if Pakistani actor Mawra Hocane was involved in the sequel. His statement came in response to Mawra’s now-viral post condemning India’s retaliatory airstrikes—Operation Sindoor—carried out on May 7. The mission targeted nine terror launchpads in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir following the devastating April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam, which claimed the lives of 26 civilians and security personnel.
In her earlier post, Mawra had slammed India’s response, writing, “We could all hear explosions, children in my country died due to an unjustified cowardly attack, innocent lives are lost… A befitting response by my armed forces have caused frenzy in your country last night.”
She went on to call Harshvardhan’s exit from the sequel a “PR strategy,” stating, “Someone I expected to have basic common sense has risen from deep slumber with a PR strategy… While our nations are at war, this is what you come up with? A PR statement to get attention? What a pity!”
Reacting to Mawra’s remarks, Harshvardhan Rane took to Instagram stories on May 11 with a pointed rebuttal. Without naming Mawra directly, he said, “That sounded like an attempt at a personal attack. Fortunately, I have tolerance to overlook such attempts—but have zero tolerance for any attack on my nation’s dignity.”
He used a metaphor to reinforce his stance, “An Indian farmer would pluck out the unwanted weed from his crop—it’s called weeding. The farmer doesn’t need a PR team for this act, it’s called common sense.”
Rane reiterated that his decision was personal and patriotic, “I simply offered to step down from Part 2. I am fully within my rights to choose not to work with individuals who label my country’s actions as ‘cowardly’.”
He also took the high road by choosing not to attack Mawra personally, “So much hate in her speech, so many personal remarks. I never mentioned her name or resorted to calling her names. Didn’t attack her dignity as a woman. I intend to maintain that standard.”
The original Sanam Teri Kasam was a sleeper hit that developed a loyal fanbase over the years and saw renewed interest after its 2025 re-release. However, amid the ongoing political fallout, artistic collaborations between Indian and Pakistani talent are once again under scrutiny. The Federation of Western India Cine Employees (FWICE) recently reiterated its directive to ban Pakistani artists in India, stating that no Indian artist should collaborate or share platforms with Pakistani talent.
Harshvardhan’s decision and subsequent response have been widely circulated on social media, with many hailing his stand as patriotic, while others see the growing rift as another example of how art often becomes collateral damage during times of conflict.
- First Published:
