Deepika Padukone joined the JNU vigil on Tuesday to show her support and condemn the brutal attack on JNU students that happened on Sunday.
The Chhapaak-movie star who was in town for promotions visited the protesting students at Jawaharlal Nehru University to express her solidarity against the JNU attack.
“I feel angry that this is happening. At the same time, it is a matter of concern that action is not being taken,” Padukone said in an interview with India Today.
Promotional move or not, the actress was aware that her visit would receive a lot of flak from right-wing supporters alike.
Social media was abuzz with negative as well as positive comments from netizens with the hashtags ‘boycottchhapaak’ and 'IStandwithDeepika’ trending simultaneously on Twitter.
Many Bollywood personalities including Swara Bhaskar and Anurag Kashyap came out in support of the actress.
“Actor @deepikapadukone meeting #AisheGhosh in #JNU. She's at ground zero despite knowing the backlash it will receive from RW goons who will attempt to boycott her film which releases in two days. Coming from Deepika who has largely been silent on political issues this is BIG.“, senior journalist Suresh Mathew said in a Tweet.
Another user Tweeted: “Thank you @deepikapadukone for giving this movement a mainstream narrative. For using your position to choose the correct path. It always comes to the women and yes, they do deliver! Big love sister! #WeAreWithJNU #noplaceforfascism”
Journalist Rana Ayyub sent out a tweet that said: “It takes guts to do this two days before the release of a high stake, important film.”
While others criticized her visit as 'anti-national’ and ‘promotional'.
Film-maker Vivek Agnihotri of Taashkent Files fame tweeted: “By standing with this small community of anti-India students she has sent a message that she doesn’t support 98% India-loving students. What do you think?”
Another Tweet by BJP spokesperson Tajinder Pal Singh Bagga read: “RT if you will Boycott Movies of @deepikapadukone for her Support to #TukdeTukdeGang and Afzal Gang.”
Padukone is no stranger to controversy as her earlier film Padmaavat too had garnered a lot of negative response from Shri Rajput Karni Sena that had attempted to get the film banned on account of a negative portrayal of queen Padmavati.
Currently Chhapaak is one of the top five talked about films on BookmyShow.