On June 17, 2025, filmmaker Vivek Agnihotri, in an interview with Shubhankar Mishra in Mumbai, reignited discussion about Deepika Padukone’s controversial 2020 visit to Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) during protests against violence on campus. Agnihotri claimed Deepika was unaware of JNU’s complex political landscape, misled by her PR team to promote her film Chhapaak, released on January 10, 2020. Her silent solidarity with students sparked both praise and backlash, impacting the film’s box office performance.
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The JNU Visit and Its Context
In January 2020, Deepika Padukone, in Delhi to promote Chhapaak—a film about acid attack survivor Laxmi Agarwal—visited JNU’s Sabarmati T-Point, standing silently with students protesting a violent attack by masked assailants. She joined former JNUSU president Kanhaiya Kumar and injured president Aishe Ghosh, making no public statement. The visit, days before Chhapaak’s release, aligned with nationwide protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA). While some, like Anurag Kashyap and Shabana Azmi, praised her courage, others, including BJP supporters, called for a boycott, trending #BoycottChhapaak on social media. Agnihotri, then vocal on X, criticized her, alleging she sided with a “small community of anti-India students.”
Agnihotri’s 2025 Take: A PR Blunder
In his recent interview, Agnihotri softened his stance, asserting, “I can guarantee Deepika had no idea about JNU politics when she went there.” He suggested her PR team saw the visit as a promotional opportunity, misjudging its political weight. “Her PR must’ve told her it’s a good chance to promote your film, as the university is associated with politics, and the film is political,” he said, clarifying, “It’s not about being dumb.” Agnihotri, director of The Bengal Files, emphasized Deepika’s intelligence but noted, “You play with fire, you get burned,” pointing to the lasting backlash, including ongoing #BoycottDeepika trends.
Impact on Chhapaak
Chhapaak, directed by Meghna Gulzar, was critically acclaimed for Deepika’s portrayal of Malti but underperformed at the box office, partly due to the JNU controversy. Director Gulzar later admitted the visit dented the film’s business. Agnihotri’s comments suggest Deepika’s team underestimated the polarized climate, with hashtags like #ISupportDeepika and #BoycottChhapaak dividing social media. Fans on X recently echoed this, with one user noting, “The Chhapaak message got lost in the noise.”
A Cautionary Tale for Celebrities
Agnihotri’s remarks highlight the risks celebrities face in politically charged settings. He noted, “Bigger fish than her have been fried for getting involved in politics,” underscoring the career impact. Deepika, who faced similar backlash during Padmaavat (2018), later told NDTV she felt proud of students voicing concerns, indicating her intent was solidarity, not politics. Yet, Agnihotri’s 2025 perspective frames her as a victim of poor advice, not ideological alignment.
Vivek Agnihotri’s comments on Deepika Padukone’s JNU visit rekindle a five-year-old debate, portraying it as a PR-driven misstep rather than a calculated move. While Deepika’s silent gesture aimed to support students, it sparked a firestorm that hurt Chhapaak’s performance. Agnihotri’s take, shared widely on X, underscores the delicate balance celebrities navigate in India’s polarized landscape. Check out the full interview on Shubhankar Mishra’s YouTube channel for more insights.
-By Manoj H