Pakistan’s Independence Day celebration took an unexpected turn on social media after a video featuring several Pakistani actresses went viral. The actresses were seen holding Pakistani flags while celebrating August 14 but the patriotic song playing in the background quickly became the focus of online discussion.
The song used in the video was “Ae Watan Mere Watan”, a patriotic track associated with Alia Bhatt and Vicky Kaushal’s 2018 film Raazi. Since the song is from an Indian movie with a storyline involving India and Pakistan, its use during a Pakistani Independence Day celebration sparked criticism.
Pakistani influencer Drejaz Waris questioned the choice of music and said the actresses, being well-known public figures, should have been more careful about what they post online. He suggested that the song choice could also give Indian social media users an opportunity to make fun of Pakistan.
In a video shared on Instagram, Drejaz Waris said that the song comes from a film that has an anti-Pakistan storyline and therefore may not be suitable for such an occasion. He added that senior and popular actresses should be aware of how their social media posts can be perceived. According to him, Indian vloggers had already started making jokes about the incident.
Drejaz Waris further stressed that actors and other public figures need to be responsible about their online content because they have large audiences and can influence the people who follow them.
In a note accompanying the video, he explained that his criticism was not about being against Bollywood or Indian music. Instead, he said that occasions with national importance require a certain level of cultural sensitivity. He argued that Independence Day has its own emotions, identity and patriotic music, and suggested that choosing a song connected to the occasion would have been more appropriate. He also pointed out that a similar situation in reverse could attract criticism as well.
Here is Drejaz Waris’ post:
https://www.instagram.com/reels/DcGK-pvgjEv/
However, social media users were divided over the controversy.
Some people agreed with Drejaz Waris and felt that the actresses should have selected a Pakistani patriotic song. Others argued that patriotic music is not necessarily restricted by national borders and that there was nothing wrong with appreciating a song from another country.
One user pointed out that a song about a homeland can be enjoyed regardless of which country it comes from. Another argued that art, music and emotions should not be limited by national or religious boundaries. Some comments even interpreted the song choice positively, suggesting that it could be seen as an expression of affection towards India. Another user noted that the song simply refers to a homeland and does not specifically mention India.
A different commenter said that differences between India and Pakistan are largely connected to political and military issues, while ordinary people from both the countries often share friendly relationships, particularly abroad, where they commonly identify as South Asians. Some users also chose to take a lighter approach, with one commenter joking that Indians have big hearts. Another argued that songs do not belong to any particular nation and should be available for everyone to enjoy.
Talking about the movie Raazi, it’s a 2018 spy thriller directed by Meghna Gulzar. The film was produced by Vineet Jain, Karan Johar, Hiroo Yash Johar and Apoorva Mehta under Junglee Pictures and Dharma Productions. It stars Alia Bhatt along with Vicky Kaushal, Rajit Kapur, Shishir Sharma and Jaideep Ahlawat.
The film is based on Harinder Sikka’s 2008 novel Calling Sehmat, which draws inspiration from the real-life story of an Indian RAW agent. In the story, the protagonist marries into a Pakistani family with military connections at her father’s request and secretly provides information to India in the period leading up to the 1971 Indo-Pakistani War.
