Perhaps the most memorable stance of her career was made by Indian actress Deepika Padukone on a chilly January 2020 night. The Pathaan actor joined the demonstrators on the sides at Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) in New Delhi, where students were being attacked.
The celebrity, who was in the nation’s capital to promote her film at the time, attended the gathering and stood during the address made by former JNUSU president Kanhaiya Kumar. Padukone, wearing a simple black outfit and wearing her hair pulled back into a bun, was accompanied by her manager and PR. Fifteen minutes later, she quietly departed, leaving the world to make sense of what she had done.
Her solidarity with the downtrodden students was especially important because her movie, Chhapaak, was about to be released. While many on the right demanded that Meghna Gulzar’s offering be boycotted, others applauded Padukone for utilizing her power and for being on the “right side of history.”
Much was said regarding the well-known star’s perspective on the issue. As the days passed, Padukone’s Chhapaak brought the actor unexpected notoriety. Almost four years later, the movie’s director is finally talking about it.
At the Indian Express Adda event, Gulzar discussed Padukone’s 2020 stance, saying, “I’m sure the answer is pretty obvious.” Indeed, it undoubtedly had an impact on the movie.” “Because the conversation veered away from acid violence—which I wanted the film to emphasize—and toward something else,” she continued. Naturally, this had an effect on the movie. That cannot be disputed.
In a 2019 interview with NDTV, Padukone discussed the violence against students at the JNU campus before leaving for the protest. The fact that we don’t hesitate to express ourselves makes me proud. The fact that we are considering the nation and its future, in my opinion. It’s good to see, regardless of our viewpoint, she had remarked.
Trolls attacked the star, accusing her of using her visit on the college campus as a publicity ploy for her movie. On the social media platform, a lot of people are applauding her, nevertheless, for her support of the students. On Indian Twitter, a number of hashtags—both supportive and negative—had been highly trending, including #DeepikaPadukone, #IStandWithDeepika, #BoycottDeepikaPadukone, and #BoycottChhapaak.
I am a dedicated student currently in my seventh semester, pursuing a degree in International Relations. Alongside my academic pursuits, I am actively engaged in the professional field as a content writer at the Rangeinn website.