Deepika Padukone was unaware of JNU politics, says Vivek Agnihotri; believes her PR team suggested the visit for film promotion

Days before her movie Chhapaak came out in 2020, Deepika Padukone made headlines for visiting Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU). This action caused a lot of controversy and demands for boycotts of the movie. In a discussion with Subhankar Mishra on his YouTube channel, filmmaker Vivek Agnihotri has now offered his thoughts on the situation.

Agnihotri suggested that Deepika likely had no real understanding of the political implications of her visit and may have simply been following the advice of her PR team. “She probably didn’t even know where she was going,” he said. “I can guarantee she wasn’t aware of the political climate there. This isn’t about calling her dumb—it’s just that someone from her PR team might have told her it was a good opportunity to promote a politically themed film in a political setting. So, she went. I don’t think they thought it through. Had she known the impact it could have on her career, I doubt she would’ve gone.”

He continued, “You play with fire, you get burned. I don’t know her personally, so I can’t speak to her ideology. But I do think she’s a smart and intelligent woman. The problem is, during film promotions, actors are often pulled in different directions by various people telling them what to do. Her team clearly misread the situation—they thought it was just an event. But it wasn’t. You can’t dabble in politics and walk away unaffected.”

Recently, Deepika has been in the spotlight for her role in Kalki 2898 AD and for exiting Sandeep Reddy Vanga's Spirit after reportedly disagreeing with the director over limiting her working hours to eight per day.

Meanwhile, Agnihotri is gearing up for the release of his next film, The Bengal Files, which delves into a lesser-known part of Indian history. The film is slated to hit theatres on September 5.

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