"Just an average Indian who hates Pakistan."
Vivek Oberoi found himself at the centre of intense online backlash after he posted a video of himself lip-syncing to ‘Tere Liye’ while completely ignoring Atif Aslam’s contribution to the duet.
The actor shared the clip from inside his car and praised the song with an enthusiastic caption that encouraged fans to create their own versions of the track.
He said: “This song… is just magic… anytime anywhere… just gets me grooving!
“Do your version of ‘Tere Liye’, and tag me, I would love to see your takes!”
In his credits, he mentioned Shreya Ghoshal, Sameer, Sachingupta and Kookie Gulati.
However, he avoided mentioning Atif Aslam, whose vocals he was actually miming throughout the video.
His comment section erupted almost immediately as fans pointed out that the male voice in the song clearly belonged to Atif Aslam, and leaving him out felt intentional.
Some users argued that Indian Instagram does not allow tags for Pakistani artists.
However, others countered that Oberoi could have written the singer’s name without tagging him.
The omission was seen by many as another example of Pakistani artists being widely consumed yet quietly erased across India’s entertainment circles.
As the clip crossed 20 million views, the trolling intensified with users calling the actor out for what they saw as selective crediting.
One wrote: “Atif Aslam doesn’t need his validation; he is a nobody. In fact, he’s not even a nobody.”
Another said: “He’s just an average Indian who hates Pakistan.”
One user commented:
“What Salman Khan did to him was the best thing. He deserved it.”
Another mocked the post jokingly: “I didn’t know Shreya Ghoshal sounds like Atif Aslam.”
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Several Pakistani fans noted that Atif Aslam’s voice was the reason the song became popular in the first place, making the oversight even more glaring.
Some users mentioned that no amount of selective crediting could downplay Atif’s global recognition or his unmatched vocal identity.
A few commenters also turned on Pakistani musicians by accusing them of seeking attention from Indian listeners and waving Indian flags.
Netizens mocked Faizan Sheikh for supporting Arjun Kapoor during an earlier trolling episode.
Many said that Pakistani celebrities often embarrass themselves for Indian approval.
Despite the growing criticism, Vivek Oberoi has not responded to the controversy.
His silence has only encouraged more speculation about whether the omission was intentional.
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