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After a clip of Priyanka Chopra responding to a Pakistani fan at an event went viral on Twitter, the Bollywood actor received much flak and letters to the UN as well. However, Priyanka has found supporters in Ayushmann Khurrana, Kangana Ranaut and Javed Akhtar who recently came out in defence of the Dil Dadhakne Do actor.
Ayushmann Khurrana said Priyanka represents India "really well" on global platforms. He told reporters at a party that celebrated the success of Andhadhun‘s win at the National Awards.
Javed Akhtar voiced his support for Priyanka saying at an event in Kolkata, "If her comments have upset the Pakistani establishment, they can do whatever they wish.”
Kangana Ranaut told ETimes that she understood Priyanka’s dilemma of being stuck between her duty as a UNICEF ambassador and her feelings for her country. She said she understood that “it’s not an easy choice” being “stuck between your duty and your emotions.” She added,
Recently on 20 August, Pakistan Minister for Human Rights, Shireen Mazari, wrote to the United Nations demanding that Priyanka Chopra be removed from her position as UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador. In the letter addressed to UNICEF Executive Director Henrietta Fore, Mazari claimed that Priyanka has “publicly endorsed” the Indian government’s “violation of all international conventions” with regards to Kashmir, and “supported the nuclear threat issued to Pakistan by the Indian Defence Minister”.
This came after Priyanka Chopra was publicly confronted about a celebratory tweet she posted lauding the Indian Air Force after its attacks on a Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) camp at Balakot in Pakistan in retaliation to the Pulawama terrorist attack. She was accused of encouraging nuclear war between India and Pakistan by a Pakistani audience member Ayesha Malik.
To which Priyanka responded by saying, “I have many, many friends from Pakistan and I am from India. War is not something I'm really fond of but I am patriotic, so I'm sorry if I hurt sentiments to people who do love me and have loved me.”
(With inputs from Times of India)
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