Political rivalries aren’t contained to the battlefield anymore, especially during an age of where international communication and commerce are essential to economic success. According to the New York Times, India and Pakistan have taken their battle to the silver screen. Following an attack on the Indian Army that India says came from Pakistan, top Bollywood film directors have decided not to include Pakistani actors in their films. As a result of those decisions, Pakistan has retaliated by banning all Indian shows on its top TV and radio networks, starting today.

For two cultures that have become intertwined especially in the entertainment arts, this break is damaging not only to the industry but also to the public relationship between the two countries. As hostility spreads even in the entertainment industry, a kind of nationalist witch-hunt is ignited. When Indian actor Om Puri spoke out against the ban, the other industry leaders and the public rebuked his statements, forcing him into an apology.

This reaction, of course, is also indicative of Indian citizens’ growing frustration with their government’s inability to prevent military attacks from Pakistan. In some ways, this kind of cultural band sends as much a signal to India’s government as it does to the Pakistani film industry. Until the conflict between the two countries blows over, the integration of cultural communications will cease to exist.