Months after its India release was stalled following the Pahalgam terror attack, romantic drama movie Aabeer Gulaal, starring Pakistani actor Fawad Khan and Indian actor Vaani Kapoor, is now set to hit overseas screens on September 12, 2025, as confirmed by the director.
Aarti S Bagdi, director of the film, took to her Instagram account to share the film's trailer.
What's Happening
- The trailer of Aabeer Gulaal, led by Fawad Khan and Vaani Kapoor, was removed from YouTube India after the horrific Pahalgam terror attack in April 2025.
- Since then, there have been consistent and subsequent boycott calls over Pakistani artists in Indian projects. Hence, Aabeer Gulaal faced intense backlash, and its release was also indefinitely postponed.
- A source close to the film revealed in August that the film would be released in 75 countries except India on August 29, 2025. However, the director confirmed recently that the release date is now September 12, 2025.
The Aabeer Gulaal Controversy
The movie, directed by Aarti S Bagdi, was slated for release in India on May 9, 2025, but found itself at the centre of a huge controversy in the aftermath of the terror attack in Pahalgam in South Kashmir on April 22, 2025, in which 26 people lost their lives.
Many trade organisations, including All Indian Cine Workers Association (AICWA) and the Federation of Western India Cine Employees (FWICE), reiterated their call for a ban on Pakistani artists in the Indian film industry.
The release of the film, which would have marked Fawad Khan's comeback to Indian cinema, was cancelled.
Aabeer Gulaal is produced by Indian Stories and A Richer Lens Entertainment. Producers include Vivek Agrawal, Avantika Hari and Rakesh Sippy.
In A Nutshell
Aabeer Gulaal, featuring Fawad Khan and Vaani Kapoor in the lead, is now gearing up for a release in theatres in 75 countries, except India, on September 12, 2025. Director Aarti S Bagdi confirmed the release date as she shared the film's trailer on her Instagram feed.
