Harshvardhan Rane refuses to do 'Sanam Teri Kasam 2' amidst rising India-Pakistan tensions

Actor Harshvardhan Rane, whose performance in ‘Sanam Teri Kasam’ wooed audiences, has opted to leave the eagerly awaited sequel because of the increased tensions between Pakistan and India lately. The development comes when the popularity of Rane has just increased with the re-release success of the original film in cinema halls, which also got a significant box office number.On Saturday, Harshvardhan Rane took to his Instagram Stories to reveal his decision to the fans and the film community. He captioned, “Even though I appreciate the experience, as things are presently, and having read the direct comments given regarding my country, I have taken a decision to decline being a part of 'Sanam Teri Kasam' part 2 if there is any chance of having the earlier cast repeated.”Rane's remark was an apparent reference to the Pakistani actress Mawra Hocane's casting, whom he co-starred with in the original movie. With heightened political and military tensions between the nations, the actor became a focus of attention on social media as fans of Hocane stormed his Instagram page and posted comments in relation to the developing scenario.Movies and series postponed amid the tensionThe existing atmosphere of tense relations between Pakistan and India has resulted in major disruptions in inter-border film partnerships and releases. Besides 'Sanam Teri Kasam 2, there have been several other projects directly affected: Initially scheduled for a theatrical release, the movie will instead be launched on OTT platforms owing to existing tensions. The launch of this popular series has been postponed, with the new date not announced.Khan and Vaani Kapoor star in this film, whose release has been indefinitely postponed, and all promotional content taken off digital platforms.