Pakistani actor Fawad Khan has shared that he continues to enjoy a warm camaraderie with several of his Indian collaborators, despite the geopolitical tensions that have kept him away from the Indian film industry since 2016.

In an interview with Pinkvilla, Fawad spoke about his ongoing friendships with actors like Ranbir Kapoor, with whom he co-starred in the 2016 film Ae Dil Hai Mushkil, as well as filmmakers Karan Johar and Shakun Batra.

“We end up talking on chat or on call so I’ve stayed in touch and enjoyed a very good relationship with the Kapoor family,” Fawad told the Indian media outlet.

“There’s still a lot of love and respect even with Karan and Shakun. So, there are friendships. There are some Indian producer friends with whom I chat sometimes too. We plan to meet somewhere… So on and off, we talk. We’re still very cordial and there’s no love lost.”

Despite the lack of Bollywood projects, Fawad expressed keen interest in watching Ranbir Kapoor’s recent controversial blockbuster, Animal, which is currently streaming on Netflix. “I am yet to watch it, but I do want to. It is on Netflix, but I couldn’t so far. Everyone has been recommending it to me,” he said.

The actor is set to captivate audiences with his next project, Barzakh, a Zee Zindagi original. Directed by Asim Abbasi, the show will see Fawad reunite with his Zindagi Gulzar Hai co-star Sanam Saeed.

Moreover, the Kapoor and Sons actor is set to make a return to Bollywood after an eight-year hiatus. He will star in an upcoming romantic comedy alongside Vaani Kapoor.

The film will be directed by Aarti Bagdi, who previously helmed the movie Bombairiya. The project is already generating significant buzz on the internet, with details about the production being closely guarded by the producers.