By Shrouq Tariq
While conflict raged between the powerful militaries of India and Pakistan, a battle was also fought on the cultural front lines despite years of shared love for films and music.
The deadly fighting in early May 鈥 the worst in decades 鈥 affected artists previously untouched by animosity between their leaders.
Ali Gul Pir, a Pakistani rapper and comedian with a huge Indian following, released a song years ago mocking Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
While he was spared consequences then, in May his YouTube channel and Instagram profile were blocked in India.
鈥淚ndians now recognise that the digital space serves as a bridge between Pakistanis and Indians, and they seem intent on severing that connection,鈥 Pir told AFP.
The collapse in bilateral relations was caused by a deadly April attack on tourists in India-Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), which New Delhi blamed on Islamabad.
Pakistan denied the allegation and, after tit-for-tat diplomatic retaliation, their militaries fought for four days before a ceasefire was reached.
The conflict hit the music industry for the first time, with Pakistani singer Annural Khalid also remembering how her Indian following dropped off.
鈥淒elhi was my top listening city before the ban,鈥 said Khalid, who has 3.1 million monthly listeners on Spotify.
鈥淚 suffered a great loss in the audience鈥 from India, she told AFP.
鈥淟isteners were deprived of content because music was turned into something it is not,鈥 Khalid added.
The conflict also scrubbed out some prior exchanges, such as the soundtrack of the 2017 film 鈥淩aees鈥 on Spotify in India.
It now shows only Indian actor Shah Rukh Khan, without his Pakistani co-star Mahira Khan.
With Pakistan producing just a handful of movies each year under strict censorship rules, Bollywood has always proven popular among viewers.
鈥淚 grew up watching Bollywood. We have the same traumas, we have the same history, we have the same stories,鈥 said Pakistani film critic Sajeer Shaikh.
Pakistani actors and directors have for decades seen making it to Bollywood as the ultimate recognition.
But this month, Indian star Diljit Dosanjh announced his latest movie, 鈥淪ardaar Ji 3鈥, which features four Pakistani actors, would be released 鈥渙verseas only鈥, after New Delhi banned Pakistani content and artists from productions.
鈥淎bir Gulaal鈥, a love story starring Pakistan鈥檚 Fawad Khan and Indian actor Vaani Kapoor, was scheduled to hit Indian cinemas on May 9 but the release was postponed.
Even some in the industry who had previously backed the cross-border artistic trade changed their tune last month.
鈥淓verything should be banned… cricket, films, everything,鈥 said Indian actor Suniel Shetty, who has a big fan following in Pakistan.
He starred in the 2004 movie 鈥淢ain Hoon Na鈥, which subtly promotes peace between India and Pakistan.
鈥淚t鈥檚 something really unfortunate about politics, creating that rift and putting boundaries around art,鈥 said Dua Zahra, assistant manager at Warner Bros South Asia鈥檚 music label in Pakistan.
As part of its measures in the wake of the IIOJK attack, New Delhi鈥檚 ban on some Pakistani YouTube channels included private broadcaster HUM TV.
The channel, which says around 40 percent of its viewers are from India, simply told its fans to use a VPN to continue watching.鈥擜FP