Deepika Padukone, Meghna Gulzar cancel Chhapaak promotions in Delhi, say ‘it will be insensitive’

Actor Deepika Padukone and director Meghna Gulzar have announced that they will not be promoting their upcoming film Chhapaak in New Delhi, amid the ongoing tensions.

Deepika Padukone’s upcoming film, Chhapaak, will not hold a promotional leg in New Delhi, ahead of its January 10 release. In an official statement, the filmmakers said that it would be insensitive to promote the film at a time when the city is going through turbulence.

Deepika Padukone in a still from Chhapaak.

Over the weekend, protests which were organised against the Citizenship Amendment Act, erupted in New Delhi. The violence continued over the next few days.

“We believe that it will be insensitive on our part to promote our film at a time when the nation and the city is going through an emotional upheaval and unrest. We pray for peace and harmony and regret the inconvenience caused by our absence but we hope you will understand,” the statement read. Deepika and director Meghna Gulzar made the announcement at a recent event.

 

Chhapaak is based on the life of acid attack survivor Laxmi who was attacked allegedly by a spurned lover in 2005 at the age of 15. Deepika is one of the several leading stars who have remained conspicuous in their silence about the ongoing protests. Many from the film fraternity including actors Mohammad Zeeshan Ayyub, Farhan Akhtar, Parineeti Chopra, Richa Chadha, veteran screenwriter Javed Akhtar, filmmakers Reema Kagti, Vishal Bhardwaj and Anurag Kashyap, and Hollywood actor John Cusack expressed solidarity with the student protesters against the police action.

Deepika has called Chhapaak the most special film of her career. Co-starring Vikrant Massey, the film debuted its first song, Nok Jhok, on Wednesday. Chhapaak will clash at the box office with Ajay Devgn’s period epic Tanhaji: The Unsung Warrior, and Rajinikanth’s cop thriller Darbar.

Follow @htshowbiz for more