Honey Trehan Discusses Industry Pressure to Cast Muslim Actors as Hindu Leads in Hindi Cinema

Filmmaker and casting director Honey Trehan has highlighted a trend in Hindi cinema where Muslim actors are often cast only as Hindu protagonists, reflecting industry pressures to alter minority characters to avoid controversy. Trehan shared that a big-budget project was shelved after he was told a Muslim star could be cast only if the character was Hindu. He expressed concern that such demands compromise storytelling authenticity and limit minority representation, amid a broader climate of selective narratives and censorship challenges.