In the midst of the hullabaloo that surrounds an occurring event dubbed Azadi Utsav, which is an Indian Independence Day celebration in Houston that has been organized by a restaurant owned by Pakistani nationals, Kartik got singled out by FWICE for alleged participation in it. Kartik’s team was quick in issuing clarifications of his non-involvement, which again sparked more talk over the matter.
FWICE’s Ultimatum To Kartik Aaryan
As per the statement made by FWICE on August 2, 2025, the ultimatum letter refers to Kartik Aaryan being asked to step back from attending, an Azadi Utsav to be held on August 15, 2025, in Houston. The organization mentioned its worrisome note related to the program: An Aga’s Restaurant and Catering has been publicized by a Pakistani national, Shaukat Maredia, who is the owner of the establishment in question, to celebrate the Jashn-e-Azadi, where singer Atif Aslam will also perform to celebrate Pakistan Independence Day.
As stated by FWICE, there exists long-standing instruction from the world to keep the activities of the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting disassociated from each other as far as artists from Pakistan are concerned. Thus participation of Aaryan would violate these instructions, and in terms of his good name, FWICE has advised Aaryan to disassociate himself from the event itself.
Kartik Aaryan’s Team’s Response
“There is no association of Kartik Aaryan with this event in any way. Not once has he made an announcement regarding his participation in this event,” the statement read, saying that its representatives had been in touch with organisers to remove his name and image from promotional material.
Within an hour of the FWICE letter breaking in the media, Aaryan’s team came out open with a statement dissociating from the event. While this quick denial indeed puts what seems to be an end to the matter, one essential question is still left: how did Aaryan’s name get dragged to the event without him having realized it and thus igniting the rumor fire regarding misinformation due to event promotion.
Broader Implications for Bollywood
This incident highlights that Bollywood is walking a tightrope between global cultural happenings and national sentiment. The intrusion of FWICE-singer Javed Ali, also went to Dubai and tied up with Pakistani artists-this adds to the industry’s clear, strident, and almost definite stand regarding how cross-border association is viewed.
Aaryan’s case, made topical with all the news emanating from Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3, revives the debate about the celebrity accountability and geopolitical sensitivity informing Bollywood’s global reach.
