MUZAFFARABAD (Kashmir English): A wave of disappointment has swept across Indian music lovers after the sudden removal of popular Pakistani songs from Spotify, one of the country’s most-used music streaming platforms. Tracks like “Maand,” “Jhol,” and “Faasle”, along with several others, vanished from the app late Wednesday, sparking concern among fans of cross-border music.
After a request from the Indian government on May 8, all Over-The-Top (OTT) platforms, media streaming services, and digital intermediaries in India have stopped broadcasting any content that comes from Pakistan, according to a story from NDTV.
The advisory clearly stated: “OTT platforms, media streaming platforms and intermediaries operating in India are advised to discontinue the web series, films, songs, podcasts and other streaming media content, whether made available on a subscription-based model or otherwise, having their origins in Pakistan with immediate effect.”
Citing national security concerns in the aftermath of “Operation Sindoor” and a recent terror attack in Pahalgam, the advisory relied on aspects from Part II of the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021. Therefore, companies have been required to limit access to all Pakistani-made content, both paid and unpaid, immediately.
Additionally, Pakistani actors have been removed from the official promotion materials for Indian movies they appear in. For instance, when you look at the album artwork on Spotify and YouTube Music, you’ll find that Pakistani actress Mawra Hocane has been removed.
Likewise, in promotional content for the film “Raees,” Mahira Khan’s image was removed, leaving only the Indian lead actor.
The popular song “Buddhu Sa Mann” from “Kapoor and Sons,” which features Pakistani actor Fawad Khan alongside Indian co-stars, is now inaccessible to Indian users on YouTube.
Visitors are greeted with a message that reads: “Video unavailable. The uploader has not made this video available in your country.” The video had originally been uploaded by Sony Music India, and its cover image has also been modified to exclude Khan.
Reacting to the situation, Sanam Teri Kasam producer Deepak Mukut told Hindustan Times, “They didn’t ask me, it’s their decision. Whatever our government says, everyone has to follow.”
The sweeping move has ignited widespread conversation online, with many expressing dismay over the politicization of art and culture.
