What I am seeing today, pains me: Deepika
our correspondent
New Delhi: On a cloudy, damp winter evening, Deepika Padukone stood in solidarity with a host of students at Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), protesting against a shocking mob attack that happened in the campus on Sunday. She did not make any speeches and left as quietly as she had arrived.
Padukone was in New Delhi to promote her upcoming film Chhapaak.
Within minutes, social media erupted with a frenzy that only a Bollywood star can whip up in movie-mad India.
Before visiting JNU, Padukone talked about the unrest and protests across India. In an interview with a national channel, the actor was asked about the growing unrest in the country and the protests being held at various universities. She said: "What I wanted to say, I said it two years ago when Padmaavat was released. What I am seeing today, it pains me. I hope it doesn't become the new normal. That anyone can say anything and they can get away with it. I get scared and I feel sad as well. This is not the foundation of our country."
In another interview, the Chhapaak actor said: "I feel proud that we are not scared of expressing ourselves. It (is good) that we are thinking of our country and its future. Whatever may be our point of view, it is nice to see people coming out on to the streets and elsewhere to voice their opinions." Both these statements were given before Deepika Padukone visited JNU.
Padukone's fans and student leaders lauded her for her "brave support" for the embattled students of the university. Many, who usually scoff at Bollywood, declared that they would watch her new film — a feature on an acid attack victim which Padukone has produced and acted in. Several people who belonged to the industry and outside praised her for her "quiet grace" and "courage" for her decision to stand in silence with JNUSU president Aishe Ghosh, who received head injuries during the attack, at a public meeting in the campus.
There were others who also prompted hashtags to boycott her Friday release Chhapaak.
Though several people in Bollywood have voiced their protest against the attack on students and faculty by a masked mob, Deepika is the rare Bollywood A-lister to do so.
"When she was attacked over Padmaavat very few came forward to support her. She knows what it feels to be targeted and she has shown exemplary courage by supporting the JNU students with quiet grace. More power to Deepika Padukone," veteran actor Shabana Azmi tweeted on Wednesday.
Swara Bhasker, who was one of the firsts from the film community to call for action against the perpetrators of Sunday violence, said "Bollywood just got JNU-ised! #LongLiveJNU #JNUProtests." Director Anurag Kashyap said he has "mad respect" for the actor and urged people to watch her upcoming film "first day all shows".
"The female of the species is, and was, and will always be the strongest of the two #DeepikaPadukone... Let's all those who stand against the violence go to @bookmyshow and show them. Make our silent statement which will be the loudest," Kashyap wrote on the microblogging site.
"Let's not forget she is also the producer of the film.. stakes are even higher," he added.
Director Vikramaditya Motwane called Deepika a "true hero".
Veteran director-producer Mahesh Bhatt said, "We are a 'kingdom' of silence no longer!"
Actor Sayani Gupta, who was one of the first stars from Bollywood to ask the actors who took a selfie with Prime Minister Narendra Modi last year to speak up, thanked Deepika for lending a "mainstream narrative" to the movement.
Her Chhapaak co-star Vikrant Massey also tweeted the viral pictures from JNU campus and said his heart "swells with pride".
"Speak for every injustice! Deepika 'Proud of you, take care' #JNUVCMustResign", Aishe said on Facebook after the event and shared her photograph with the actor.
Kanhaiya cautioned the actor about probable trolling for her stand with JNU. "More power to you @deepikapadukone and thank you for your solidarity and support. You might be abused or trolled today, but history will remember you for your courage and standing by the idea of India," he tweeted.
Familiar supporters of Modi's government rebuked the actress, saying she was cynically mining publicity for her new film. On Twitter, rival hashtags asking people to both support and boycott her new film began trending.
The kerfuffle over Padukone's visit to the troubled campus is understandable. The 34-year-old actor of nearly three dozen films is truly a megastar in the world's most thriving film industry. She has an imposing social media presence — 26 million followers on Twitter and 42 million on Instagram.
Directors Vishal Bhardwaj, Anurag Kashyap, Zoya Akhtar and actors Taapsee Pannu and Richa Chadha were among the host of Bollywood personalities who turned up in Mumbai in solidarity with those protesting against the violence at the JNU.
Prominent personalities from the fraternity, including Swara Bhasker, Sudhir Mishra, Rekha Bhardwaj, Anubhav Sinha, Dia Mirza, Rahul Dholakia, Ali Fazal, Neeraj Ghaywan, Reema Kagti, Hansal Mehta, Vikramaditya Motwane, Saurabh Shukla, Rajkumar Gupta, also joined the protesters.
