Vivek Agnihotri: Deepika clueless on JNU, PR pushed her visit

Director Vivek Agnihotri recently shared his opinion on Deepika Padukone’s 2020 visit to Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) during the student protests, which stirred controversy just before the release of her film Chhapaak. In an interview with Subhankar Mishra on YouTube, Agnihotri suggested that Deepika may not have fully understood the political implications of her visit.

He said he believes the actress was likely guided by her PR team, who saw the event as a promotional opportunity aligned with the film’s theme. “She probably didn’t even know where she was going or the political climate of the place,” he remarked, clarifying that it wasn't a matter of intelligence but of being misinformed. According to him, had Deepika been fully aware of the situation, she might have chosen not to attend.

He went on to add, “You play with fire, you get burned. 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, I assume she would not have gone. During film promotions, there are too many people telling stars what to do and where to speak. Her PR was mistaken, they thought it was an event. But it wasn’t an event. You can't touch politics and go out like that.”

Deepika was last seen in Kalki 2898 AD. In the last few weeks, she has been in the limelight for exiting Sandeep Reddy Vanga's Spirit, over the latter's refusal to accept an 8-hour shift.