Deepika Padukone cancels Chhapaak promotions in Delhi as violence erupts over CAA

Deepika Padukone has called off the New Delhi leg of promotions for her upcoming film Chhapaak after looking at the violence which erupted in the capital on Tuesday. The actress was supposed to appear as a speaker at a media event in the city along with film’s director Meghna Gulzar. After the Citizenship Amendment Bill was declared as an Act earlier this month, several parts of Delhi erupted in protests. On Sunday, things became worse when the situation between the Jamia Millia Islamia University students and the Delhi Police went extremely violent. Numerous celebs from B-town condemned the police brutality and expressed their solidarity with the Jamia students.

A statement from Deepika Padukone and Meghna Gulzar read, "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." Deepika plays an acid attack survivor in Chhapaak. The Meghna Gulzar-directed film is based on the life of acid survivor Laxmi Agarwal. The film is to hit the screens on January 10, 2020.