Vivek Agnihotri has weighed in on Deepika Padukone’s incident from January 2020, when she made a surprise appearance at Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) in New Delhi. He suggested that Deepika may not have fully understood the situation and was likely misled by her public relations team, even a moment of silence can echo loudly across political lines.
Her quiet stand in solidarity with students who had been violently attacked on campus was seen by many as a bold political move, but also one that drew heavy backlash.
Just days before the release of her film Chhapaak, the visit sparked fierce public debate, divided opinion across social media, and, according to some, derailed the movie’s box office potential.
Vivek Agnihotri: ‘She Had No Idea What She Was Getting Into’
Deepika had visited the university in silent support of students protesting an attack on campus. Her appearance occurred just days before the release of her film Chhapaak, which focused on acid violence survivors. The move was widely discussed and, according to many, negatively impacted the film’s performance.
In a new interview with journalist Shubhankar Mishra, Agnihotri shared his take, “I can guarantee that Deepika had no idea about JNU politics when she went there.”
He added that it’s not a matter of intelligence but poor advice, “It’s not about being d**b. Her PR must’ve told her that this is a good opportunity to promote your film, because the university is associated with politics, and the film is also political. If she had known, she wouldn’t have come.”
When asked why the backlash continues to follow her, Agnihotri was blunt, “You play with fire, you get burned.”
Filmmaker Says Her PR Misguided Her During ‘Chhapaak’ Promotions
He further stated that Deepika likely didn’t realize the extent of the political tension at the time, “I don’t know her personally, so I don’t know what ideology she aligns with. I do know that she is a very smart and intelligent woman. Had she known that this is a politically sensitive place and that it might impact her career, she would’ve definitely not gone.”
Agnihotri concluded by saying, “During film promotions, there are too many voices telling stars what to do and who to speak to. Her PR was mistaken, they thought it was an event. But it wasn’t an event. Bigger fish than her have been fried for getting involved in politics.”
Even Chhapaak director Meghna Gulzar had admitted the visit impacted the film’s success, “Yes, it did make a dent on the film… The conversation went from acid violence, which I intended the film to amplify… so of course it impacted the film. There is no denying that.”