Deepika misled by PR into JNU visit, says Vivek Agnihotri
17 Jun 2025

Filmmaker Vivek Agnihotri has claimed that actor Deepika Padukone was "misled" by her PR team into making a political statement at Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) in New Delhi.

The incident had taken place just a few days before her 2020 film Chhapaak came out.

Padukone had visited the university to show solidarity with protesting students after a violent attack on campus by masked assailants.

Here's what Agnihotri said
Statement

In a recent interview with Shubhankar Mishra, Agnihotri said, "I can guarantee that Deepika had no idea about JNU politics when she went there."

He further added, "It's not about being dumb. Her PR must've told her that this is a good opportunity to promote your film because the university is associated with politics, and the film is also political."

'Had she known...she would've definitely not gone'
Consequence

Agnihotri also said that the actor is "too smart" to fall for such traps.

He said, "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."

"You play with fire, you get burned," he added.

'Too many voices telling stars...': Agnihotri
PR blunder

Agnihotri further said, "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."

Did the visit impact the film's box office?
Director's view

Meghna Gulzar, the director of Chhapaak, had earlier said that Padukone's visit to JNU did impact the film's box office performance.

"I am sure that answer is pretty obvious. Yes, it did make a dent on the film because the conversation went from acid violence, which I intended the film to amplify..."

"The conversation actually changed track and went somewhere else, so of course it impacted the film."