Back in 2020, just days before the release of her film ‘Chhapaak’, Deepika Padukone made a surprise visit to the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) in Delhi. She stood in silence to support students who were protesting after a violent attack by goons on campus.Although she didn’t speak at the protest, the ‘Piku’ actress’ quiet presence created buzz across the country. Many praised her bold move, while others blamed her for mixing politics with film promotions. This silent political gesture became a major talking point and, according to many, affected the film’s box office numbers.‘Deepika had no idea about JNU politics’In a new interview with Shubhankar Mishra, filmmaker Vivek Agnihotri spoke about the incident. He said Deepika probably didn’t understand the political nature of her actions and was wrongly advised by her PR team. “I can guarantee that Deepika had no idea about JNU politics when she went there,” he said. According to him, no political act goes without backlash, and the whole plan might have been a misjudgement.When asked if he was calling Deepika ‘dumb’, he quickly clarified, “It’s not about being dumb. Her PR must’ve told her that this is a good opportunity to promote her film, because the university is associated with politics, and the film is also political. If she had known, she wouldn’t have come.”‘You play with fire, you get burned’Agnihotri also said that the ‘Padmaavat’ actress is still dealing with the backlash from that one moment. “You play with fire, you get burned,” he added.Despite his criticism, he also described the ‘Om Shanti Om’ actress as smart and intelligent. “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.”‘Her PR thought it was an event’Agnihotri went on to say that during film promotions, actors are pulled in many directions. He believes Deepika was simply following advice that didn’t turn out well. “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,” he said.
