I don`t get the cancel and boycott culture, says actor Vaani Kapoor, who believes that censorship in any form restricts an artist`s freedom to take creative risks and explore new ideas. In May, Vaani`s romance drama movie "Abir Gulaal", also starring Pakistani actor Fawad Khan, was set for release in Indian theatres but found itself in a controversy in the aftermath of the Pahalgam terror attack, an incident that renewed calls for a boycott on Pakistani artists from politicians and trade organisations. The movie was not allowed to be released. When asked how the recent events affected her, the actor spoke about the impact of censorship in the field of arts.

"I`m not so into censorship, I believe you can give a certificate... Sometimes what happens is there`s no limit, there are times when I hear censorship, (I feel) they can remove this or that," Vaani told PTI in an interview. "I don`t know that as an artist, as a filmmaker or as a performer, how much are you willing to then explore a new territory because then you`re controlled and there`s a boundary set for you. Then you have to work and bring something new, refreshing, exciting, and never been seen before within that frame of that line that`s been drawn for you," she added. The actor, known for her work in films like "War", "Chandigarh Kare Aashiqui", and "Raid 2", said "cancel and boycott" culture often leads to a toxic atmosphere.

"This whole cancel culture, `ek cheez galat bol di`, cancel karo, boycott karo (Say one thing wrong, and there are calls for cancel and boycott). I don`t get that volatile behaviour. We`re being so harsh to one another. "I feel there`s so much toxicity and hate that I keep hearing... `aaj isko boycott kar do, aaj isko cancel kar do` (Let`s boycott this today or let`s cancel this`.) `Mat karo yaar` (Don`t Do this), have room and let people be." The 36-year-old actor is set to make her series debut with "Mandela Murders", a psychological thriller show from Netflix. At the show`s trailer launch event, Vaani had expressed concerns over social media increasingly becoming a space filled with negativity. She also shared her observations about a growing culture of hate. Vaani said hatred can have "psychological" ramifications on people, and it can often lead to anxiety and self-doubt, especially for those who are still discovering their identity.