Bollywood star Kartik Aaryan has found himself in the middle of controversy after the Federation of Western India Cine Employees (FWICE) warned him against participating in an event reportedly linked to a Pakistani restaurant. The event is scheduled to take place on August 15 in Houston, USA.

According to reports, Kartik had been invited to attend the event as a guest. However, FWICE sent him a formal letter urging him to step back. The letter read, “Your joining this program, even if unintentionally, works to hurt national sentiments. Also, it is against the guidelines applicable in the film industry.”

The Federation argued that such international events may appear prestigious but could potentially create friction with national interests. The letter stated, “This also comes under the category of violating the instructions, which say that distance has to be maintained from Pakistani artists and institutions.”

FWICE emphasised that as a prominent representative of the Indian film industry, Kartik is expected to align with the collective decision of the fraternity and uphold national sentiments. The letter also hinted that the actor might not have been fully aware of the organisers’ affiliations and urged him to immediately withdraw from the event to avoid further conflict.

In response to the growing backlash, Kartik Aaryan’s team issued an official clarification. “Kartik Aaryan is not associated with this event in any capacity. He has never made an official announcement about participating in this event. We have contacted the organisers and requested to remove all promotional materials featuring his name and image,” the statement read.

With his team now stepping in to clarify the actor’s position, the matter appears to be heading toward resolution, though the incident has reignited the debate around cross-border participation and representation in the Indian entertainment industry.