Art & Entertainment

Meghna Gulzar Finally Breaks Silence On Deepika Padukone's JNU Visit, Says It Affected 'Chhapaak'

Director Meghna Gulzar opened up about 'Chhapaak' and said that Deepika Padukone's Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) visit impacted her film.

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Deepika Padukone, Meghna Gulzar
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Ahead of 'Chhapaak's release in 2020, actress Deepika Padukone visited Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) during the CAA-NRC protests. In an interview, the director of the film, Meghna Gulzar revealed that Deepika's visit ‘made a dent’ on her film. The film was based on the life of acid attack survivor, Laxmi Agarwal. 'Chhapaak' failed to perform well at the box office. 

During the Express Adda, Meghna said, ''I am sure that the answer is pretty obvious. Yes, of course, it made a dent on the film. Because the conversation went from acid violence, which I intended the film to amplify, to somewhere else. So, of course, it impacted the film. There is no denying that.”

For the uninitiated, in 2020, Deepika paid a visit to JNU where student leaders gathered to condemn the attack on Varsity students by some masked goons. Pics and videos went viral on social media where the actress was spotted standing with the students at the Sabarmati T-point, where alumni of JNU called a public meeting. She was there for around 15 minutes and left without saying a word. 

Well, Meghna Gulzar is currently gearing up for the release of her upcoming film, 'Sam Bahadur' which will show the life of Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw and his sacrifices for the nation. He was the first Indian Army officer to be promoted to the rank of Field Marshal and is known for his bravery and victory in the 1971 Indo-Pak war. 

Vicky Kaushal is playing Sam Bahadur. It also stars Neeraj Kabi, Sanya Malhotra, Fatima Sana Shaikh, Edward Sonnenblick, and Richard Bhakti Klein among others. The biopic is all set to hit theatres on December 1. It will clash with Ranbir Kapoor starrer, 'Animal'.