(From left) Stills from the acclaimed series, Churails, and the Fawad Khan-led Barzakh. Pics/AFP, Yogen Shah, Instagram

On May 8, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting issued an advisory directing OTT platforms, media streaming platforms, and intermediaries to remove all streaming content originating from Pakistan. In the ministry’s circular, the platforms were advised to “discontinue the web series, films, songs, podcasts, and other streaming media content, having its origins in Pakistan, with immediate effect.”

This comes amid the ongoing India-Pakistan conflict. In keeping with the advisory, by the morning of May 9, Zee5 had pulled down its much-loved Pakistani shows Churails (2020) and Barzakh (2024). Pakistani dramas Humsafar and Zindagi Gulzar Hai, which used to stream on Hum TV’s YouTube channel, were no longer available in India.

Through its subsidiary Zindagi, Zee5 had introduced Pakistani content to Indian audiences, bringing director Asim Abbasi’s Churails in 2020. Abbasi’s Barzakh too had found takers, as Pakistani actor Fawad Khan returned to Indian screens with the series.

An insider tells mid-day, “Zindagi became defunct right after the April 22 attack in Pahalgam, while the shows continued to stream on Zee5. But now, the shows have been pulled down from Zee5 and its YouTube channel around the globe. The shows’ promotional materials too have been removed. The filmmaker and the cast have no way of accessing their work anymore.”

The advisory affects not only the past and current works, but also those in the pipeline. Jo Bachay Hain Sang Samet Lo, which is Netflix’s first Pakistani original series, will no longer première in India. An insider from the streaming giant reveals, “Though Netflix boasts simultaneous releases across the globe, this show will not stream in India. It’s scheduled for a late June release in the remaining parts of the world.”

The advisory’s reach extends beyond visual media. The legacy Instagram account of late Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan as well as that of Pasoori singer Ali Sethi, who lives in the US, have become inaccessible in India from May 9. Audio streaming platforms in India have initiated the process of removing works by Pakistani artistes from their library.

A Jio Saavn insider says, “It will take a while to do this as there is overlapping in certain cases. For instance, Atif Aslam has sung many songs for Indian productions; those can’t be dropped. Nusrat saab is a legend. How do we remove all his music, some of which were in collaboration with Indian artistes?” 

The Internet Freedom Foundation, an Indian not-for-profit organization, opposed the I&B Ministry’s advisory. An excerpt from the foundation’s statement read, “The Internet Freedom Foundation [IFF] mourns the lives lost in the April 22 Pahalgam attack and affirms that national security is a paramount constitutional duty, yet insists that security measures themselves must remain within constitutional limits. The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting’s ‘advisory’ ordering every OTT service, streaming platform, and intermediary in India to remove all content having its origins in Pakistan exceeds those limits.”

Smriti Biswas and Shekhar in the 1955 film ‘Chandni Chowk’

New Delhi/Nashik: Smriti Biswas, whose compelling performances in B R Chopra’s ‘Chandni Chowk’ and Navketan’s ‘Humsafar’ drew critical praise but who’s remembered more for her glitzy roles in films like ‘Dilli Ka Thug’, passed away at her Nashik residence on Wednesday. She was 100.

“My mother was suffering from various ailments and passed away peacefully at 9 pm,” her son Rajiv Narang told TOI.

The actor, who also modelled for Lux soap and featured on the Filmfare cover, had cameos in Raj Kapoor’s ‘Jagte Raho’ (1956) and ‘Neel Akasher Neechey’ (1959), an early Mrinal Sen film based on noted Hindi writer Mahadevi Verma’s story ‘Chini Feriwala’.

Biswas was in her prime in the 1950s, putting together a string of compelling acts. The Times of India review of ‘Humsafar’ (1953) said, “Biswas projects a strong personality with an alluring verve which does full justice to that difficult part (of a dancer).”

Her role in ‘Shaheed Bhagat Singh’ (1954) earned fulsome plaudits. “A truly memorable performance comes from a wholly unexpected quarter; Smriti Biswas, the seductive Bengali artiste in secondary roles. Though her part in this film is a departure from the femme fatale she plays so well, she gives it a performance which brings it alive,” the review said. Biswas played a revolutionary.

Similarly, the glowing ‘Chandni Chowk’ (1955) appraisal said, “Charming and convincing vignettes are provided by Smriti Biswas as a seductive Egyptian dancer, with a distinctive sinuous appeal.” Her roles in Guru Dutt’s ‘Sailab’ and ‘Aabroo’ (both 1956) were also received positively.

Hindi film lovers of the black & white era would remember her breathing glamour and sensuality to the rock & roll track, “O babu o lala’ in ‘Dilli Ka Thug’ (1958) and her free-spirited jiving to the joyful number, ‘Deewana dil ye gaaye’ (film: ‘Baap re Baap’, 1958). Film database IMDB lists 30 of her works but movies like ‘Maldar’ (1951), ‘Humsafar’ (1953) and ‘Aabroo (1956)’ are missing from the list. ‘Modern Girl’ (1960) was her last Hindi film.

Biswas left the industry after marrying film producer-director S D Narang, who delivered box-office winners such as ‘Dilli Ka Thug’, ‘Babul Ki Gali yan’ (1972), ‘Do Thug’ (1975). He died in 1986.

Born in Dhaka, now in Bangladesh, Smriti was the daughter of Harendrakumar and Jyotirmoi, both schoolteachers. She took to acting as a child in the Bengali film ‘Sandhya’ (1930). Some years ago, she had shifted to Nashik, where she lived in a small flat. “She had slipped into financial distress. The later part of her life was sad and troubled,” said actor Anju Mahendroo. Biswas was a friend of Mahendroo’s mother.

In a poignant 2020 article published in The Quint, film critic Khalid Mohamed had written about film archivist Shivendra Singh Dungarpur assisting her financially. It is learnt that filmmaker Hansal Mehta also helped her out. “She donated her photographs, personal letters and other film memorabilia to Film Heritage Foundation,” Dungarpur said.

Biswas is survived by her two sons, Rajiv and Satyajeet.

Mahira Khan will be landing on Indian shores a year before her big Bollywood debut, the Shah Rukh Khan starrer, Raees. It is being hyped as one of the two big Eid releases of 2016, the other is Salman Khan's Sultan. But before that, this Eid, Ms Khan will be seen in a Pakistani film, Bin Roye, which will release alongside Salman's Bajrangi Bhaijaan.

Speaking from Lahore, she dismisses any talk of competition, pointing out that while the Salman-starrer will open in 1000-plus screens, her story of love and loss will probably not get more than 50. “I've been waiting for my film for a while now. Every three months, I was told it is opening. Bas ab cinema mein lag jaye,“ sighs Mahira.

While her film will be an Eid attraction in India, Salman's cross-border story has yet to be cleared in Pakistan. “I'm told that Bajrangi Bhaijaan has some Pakistani elements which could become an issue even though Indian films always play to packed theatres here,“ she reasons. “One of our really big hits, Waar, couldn't be released in your country because of some Indian elements. It's what I call 'cinema politics'.“

On her part, she can't wait to work with Salman whose every film she's seen, starting with Maine Pyar Kiya. “But the script must be good. Fortunately, not just in Pakistan but in India too, actors are experimenting with different roles. It's a great time for cinema, globally,“ she rejoices.

What's her role like in Raees? Mahira instantly clams up, refusing to even mention Shah Rukh Khan or their film together. “Don't ask me anything about either,“ she pleads, refusing to even list her favourite SRK films.

However, when prodded on whether the makers of Raees are upset about her soft launch in India, having planned to keep her under wraps for the next 12 months, she unbends to say, “They haven't said anything to me. Both are very different films. Raees is my Bollywood debut while Bin Roye is a Pakistani film I'm representing in India.“

Meanwhile, her TV series with Fawad Khan, Humsafar, has become very popular in India. And Mahira cannot be happier. She described Fawad as a professional, focused co-star who helped her pull off her rather difficult role. “We didn't interact much on the sets then, but we share a friendly equation now,“ she says.

Few remember Mahira as Atif Aslam's pop singer mate in 2011 Pakistani drama, Bol, in which she had a small role to play. Bring up the topic and she says dismissively, “A lot of people in Pakistan were asking me why was I doing that role? But I really wanted to work with Shoaib Mansoor, so I did it,“ she says.

Mahira herself had earlier hosted a ly TV talk show, TUC-The Lighter Side of Life, popularly known as Turqi Ba Turqi which is along the lines of Karan Johar's Koffee with Karan. Bring up the similarity and she retorts, “Karan Johar is very good at what he does. I'm going to stick to acting. They wanted me for another season but I really can't do it.“ Hypothetically, if they were to bring the show to India who would she want to interview? “Shah Rukh Khan... Madhuri Dixit...Rekha... Karan Johar,“ she ticks off. “They have all inspired me in some way. And yes, Mr Amitabh Bachchan... And Guru Dutt, had he been alive.“