As patriotic fervor sweeps across India following the success of Operation Sindoor—a powerful counterattack on terrorism after the harrowing Pahalgam incident—many Bollywood fans are turning their attention not to the victory, but to the silence. And among the loudest silences, they claim, is that of superstar Shah Rukh Khan.
Now, an old video of the Pathaan and Jawan actor has resurfaced and gone viral—one where he candidly talks about his Pakistani roots and praises the talents across the border. And that’s all it took to spark outrage online.
In the clip, Shah Rukh Khan says, “My family is from Pakistan. My father is from Peshawar. I'm very proud of it. I'm from Kisakhani, Lahori Dihatti. And I have my whole family still there. I would love to go and meet them.” The actor goes on to reveal that he visited Pakistan multiple times in his younger days and still feels a strong connection to the place.
He also lauds the creative exchange between the two countries, calling Pakistani artists some of the greatest: “I think in the art part of it, there already is an amazingly peaceful and beautiful relation. Some of the greatest singers that we use in our films, some of our films that are being released, this bilateral business and art exchange is already happening.”
But what truly set social media ablaze is what Khan said next. He downplayed the tension between the two nations, suggesting it’s all political: “Personally, none of the Pakistanis and Indians have problems with each other. I had a friend in London for five years, and I found out after five years that he was from Pakistan or Rawalpindi. You know, it doesn't come in the way. I think we've taken politics to a very extreme level. And politics is about giving diplomatic and strange answers.”
Now, after Operation Sindoor—India's powerful strike against terrorism—users are connecting the dots. Why, they ask, has Shah Rukh Khan stayed silent? Why have other Bollywood heavyweights like Salman Khan, Hrithik Roshan, Priyanka Chopra, and Amitabh Bachchan also refrained from even a single tweet acknowledging the efforts of the Indian Armed Forces?
This perceived silence is being interpreted by many as indifference, if not betrayal. The outrage has been swift and vocal. One user fumed, “Boycott this type of actor.” Another raged, “Send him to Pakistan.” A third pointedly asked, “This was an old video, but how did his fanbase grow in India after this? The real problem is with his Indian fans.”
In contrast, actors like Ajay Devgn have publicly broken their silence. “Nobody wants war, but…” he began, becoming one of the first major Bollywood stars to acknowledge the operation’s success.
As the dust settles from Operation Sindoor, the war of words online seems far from over. Meanwhile, on the professional front, Shah Rukh Khan is set to return to the big screen in his upcoming film, King—but it’s clear the king of Bollywood is now facing a very different kind of spotlight.