A desk report in Dawn sounds seriously miffed that critics in mainstream Indian publications have panned Pakistani actress Mahira Khan's performance in Raees. It quotes from review across a number of publications and then asks, "Given that the criticism is at times malacious, instead of constructive, one has to wonder whether the tense political climate has impacted the integrity of the reviews." The next day Dawn carries two reviews of the film from writers who saw it in Dubai, one of which is generous about Mahira's contribution to the film.