Ayushmann Khurrana singing ‘Dil Dil Pakistan; What’s the real story?

Bollywood actor Ayushmann Khurrana is facing criticism on social media because of the emergence of a video where he’s seen singing Pakistan’s famous song ‘Dil Dil Pakistan.’ The video was widely shared online, showing Ayushmann singing the popular anthem during a performance.

The video appeared online after Ayushmann and other famous Bollywood stars attended the opening ceremony of the contentious Ram Temple in Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh. The event featured stars like Alia Bhatt, Katrina Kaif, Ranbir Kapoor, Vicky Kaushal, and Ayushmann Khurrana.

The clown @ayushmannk was singing "Dil Dil Pakistan" when Pakistanis were kiIIing our soldiers & innocent citizens..
No wonder he's so upset to see #RamMandir.

The reason why I don't trust most of these Bollywoodiyas. They can even sell their mothers for money… pic.twitter.com/pCqIgJt7r1

— Mr Sinha (@MrSinha_) January 24, 2024

Right-wing extremists on social media criticized Ayushmann for singing a Pakistani song. Some users called it foolish and disrespectful.

However, Indian media investigated and found that the video is about seven years old, from a concert in Dubai in 2017. During the event, Ayushmann honored various states and regions of India before singing both ‘Dil Dil Pakistan’ and ‘Chak De India,’ along with his brother Aparshakti Khurana.
Even though the video is old, its reemergence on social media has caused controversy, especially in the context of the recent Ram Temple ceremony.