In a bold and unequivocal stand, actor Harshvardhan Rane has opted out of the much-anticipated Sanam Teri Kasam 2, following controversial remarks made by his former co-star Mawra Hocane about India’s Operation Sindoor. The decision comes at a time when Rane’s popularity has seen a sharp upswing, particularly after the successful re-release of the original film in 2025, which raked in significant numbers at the box office and reignited public interest in the romantic drama. Now, the actor has slammed Pakistani actress Mawra Hocane for calling his exit from the sequel a “PR strategy”.

Harshavrdhan Rane made it clear that he could not, in good conscience, work alongside someone who insulted his nation. While he did not name anyone, his Sanam Teri Kasam co-star Mawra Hocane called his comment a “PR strategy” and now the actor has slammed her. Taking to Instagram’s story section, he wrote that her words came across as a “personal attack”, but he has the patience to ignore such things. However, he claims to have absolutely zero tolerance when it comes to any insult directed at India.

He further compared his stance to a farmer removing weeds from his crop, calling it “common sense” rather than a PR stunt. He said that just like an Indian farmer would remove weeds to protect his crop, he too decided to step away from Sanam Teri Kasam 2. He said it is not PR, just “common sense”.

He added that he has the right to choose with whom he wants to work and straightly refused to work with those who would label his country’s actions as “cowardly”. He also said that the actress’s statement was laced with negativity and personal digs.

What happened?

A few days ago, Mawra Hocane criticised India’s Operation Sindoor on social media, referring to it as a “cowardly” act. In response, Harshvardhan Rane strongly condemned her remarks, saying he respects artists and individuals from all nations, even from places as far-flung as Mars, but finds any derogatory comment about his country completely unacceptable. He added that he’s willing to lose followers on Instagram if it means standing by his principles.