India vs Pak Asia Cup 2025: Bollywood divided over boycott calls. Raveena Tandon, Suniel Shetty, others react

India vs Pak Asia Cup 2025: India and Pakistan are set to face off in the Asia Cup cricket match on Sunday evening. It will be their first match between the traditional rivals amid the escalating tension since May 2025. Amid this, many people have called for a boycott of the match, hoping that the BCCI and the government would let Team India withdraw from the match.

Bollywood reacts to India vs Pak boycott calls

Reacting to the boycott calls, Bollywood remains divided about today's match.

Raveena Tandon on India vs Pak

A few hours before the match, actor Raveena Tandon took to X, formerly Twitter, expressing hope that Indian players would pay tribute to the victims of the Pahalgam terror attack.

She wrote, "So ok the match is on. I hope our team plays with black bands on and takes a knee. Before taking victory.”

On Instagram, she shared similar sentiments and added, "Hope the team wears black bands and takes a knee. A minutes silence for the fallen. And then take a victory. @indiancricketteam #bcci.” She also highlighted an article on why BCCI cannot boycott the match.

Suniel Shetty on India vs Pak match

Previously, actor Suniel Shetty, whose son-in-law, KL Rahul, is a part of Team India, said that cricketers cannot be blamed for the match.

He told reporters, as per ANI, “You cannot blame cricketers for playing because they are sportsmen; they are expected to represent the country. I think that's a call we have to take. If I'm not going to see it, I'm not going to see it. It's for you to decide what each one of you wants to do. It's not in BCCI's hands. It's a world sporting body and you can't blame anybody.”

Ashoke Pandit on boycotting India vs Pakistan clash

Indian Film and Television Directors' Association (IFTDA) president Ashoke Pandit was seen opposing the match. He called it a "black day" for the country and told ANI, “a black day for this country. We cannot be this insensitive. Our cricketers should have this much shame; money is not everything. I want to say to all the cricketers that the people you play for have their hands covered with blood, and that blood is of Indians.”

"Over the past 40 years, the attacks on our nation have been constant... The government can give any reason or tell any rule, but it won't go down our throats. You are taking all this lightly because no one from your own family has been attacked... It is an insult to all those security forces who have lost their lives for this nation... We have appealed to the television channels not to broadcast this match," he added.

When actor Zayed Khan was asked if the match should be played, he told ANI, “Kyu nahi yar, sports to sports hai, jo bhi sambandh bante hai ban ne do (Why not? Sport is sport. Whatever relations can be made, let them be made).”

The tensions between India and Pakistan escalated further after the terrorist attack in the Pahalgam region, killing 26 people, mostly tourists.