Ayushmann Khurrana faces backlash for singing ‘Dil Dil Pakistan’

In a video that went viral recently, famous Bollywood actor and singer Ayushmann Khurrana can be seen singing the patriotic song. Deal Deal Pakistan in a concert venue. Originally written and released by Pakistani band Vital Signs in 1987, the song’s immediate and enduring popularity made it an “unofficial national anthem” for Pakistanis.

So when Ayushmann took the stage to sing the patriotic song, netizens on both sides of the border flocked to the resurfaced video with their varied takes. Since then, the singer has drawn reactions from many Indians on social media, just days after Ayushmann was spotted attending the inauguration ceremony of the Ram Mandir.

With many vociferous calls for a boycott of this controversy, one user on microblogging platform X argued, “Disgusting. Boycott Ayushman Khurrana. Deport him to live in Pakistan.” According to another angry reviewer, “A two-faced man like Ayushmann can only be found in Bollywood. So basically Ram Mandir was just a publicity stunt. Today, he lost all my respect.”

Meanwhile, some are using the controversy to knock the singer’s vocal capabilities. “Good. To be quite honest, he has sung it so badly, it’s almost disrespectful to the song. He’s turned the song into rubbish. What a stupid performance, lol. I’m sure even Pakistanis are mourning this stranded Pakistani” , reads a post commenting on Ayushmann.

“These Bollywood clowns would do anything for money. I don’t know why this guy was invited to the Ram Mandir ceremony,” another critic wondered. “Ayushmann the clown was singing Deal Deal Pakistan when Pakistanis were killing our soldiers and innocent civilians. Modi invited him to the opening day of Ram Mandir and he is doing this,” read one angry post.

For Pakistani netizens, the Indian singer’s performance further highlights his artistry Deal Deal Pakistan. One such fan wrote on X, “A lot of respect for Ayushmann while another insisted, “Deal Deal Pakistan so good that even ours presentation (the neighbors) sing it with all passion. I think we should keep music and art away from politics and hate.”

However, there seems to be more to the picture than disgruntled social media users think. As reported by The Quint and AGES of India, the clip that surfaced is from a 2017 concert in Dubai where Ayushmann appreciated his fans from different states. Unlike the viral clip, there is a longer video online in which the singer calls out her Punjabi and Bengali fans among others.

The events in the viral clip were part of a music series featuring Chak De India which Ayushmann acted alongside his brother Aparshakti Khurrana. According The Quintthe musician said, “This is for our Pakistani friends” before continuing to sing the song which followed Chak De India.

Ayushmann’s PR team also confirmed that the clip was from his 2017 Dubai concert where the singer joined Ali Zafar also to encourage cordial relations between Pakistan and India. The timing of the video’s release days after Ayushmann’s participation in the Ram Mandir event has intensified the backlash.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday led the consecration of a grand temple to the Hindu god Lord Ram at a site believed to be his birthplace, in a celebratory event for the Hindu majority of the world’s most populous nation.

Ayushmann was among several personalities from showbiz, politics and business who were invited to attend the consecration ceremony of the Ram Temple on January 22. Notable personalities like Rajinikanth, Ranbir Kapoor, Alia Bhatt, Ram Charan, Dipika Chikhalia, Arun Govil, Kangana Ranaut and others also graced the high profile event.

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