Filmmaker Vivek Agnihotri took to his Twitter handle to respond to a report which talked about his ‘double standards’ after he praised Deepika Padukone. Deepika was named among Dwayne Johnson, Emily Blunt, Michael B. Jordan and Samuel L. Jackson as presenters for the upcoming Academy Awards 2023
Vivek had earlier replied to a report about Deepika Padukone being one of the presenters of this year. He wrote, “While travelling with #TheKashmirFiles in USA & overwhelming response of Americans, I had said that now everyone wants to increase their footprint in India. India is now the most lucrative, safe and growing market of the world. This is the year of Indian cinema. #AchcheDin.”
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While some praised Deepika in the comment section of Vivek's post, a few also reminded him of his old tweets where he talked against Deepika's song Besharam Rang from Pathaan, which created massive controversy upon its release. Reacting to a report about the same, Vivek now clarified his appreciation for Deepika.
He shared, “Well… in a new world ‘criticising someone when you disagree and appreciating when you like their act’ is called double standard. Well, I thought it’s called ‘fairness’. Anyone who makes India’s name popular deserves appreciation unanimously.”
Last year, he had joined those who were against Deepika's Besharam Rang. It featured her romancing Shah Rukh Khan in Spain. While some objected to the lyrics, others criticised her outfits. Many also said that the song hurt their religious sentiments allegedly. Vivek had posted a fan video criticising the song and wrote, "WARNING... video against Bollywood. Don’t watch it if you are a 'secular'."
Besides Vivek, Anupam Kher also praised Deepika. The senior actor shared an old picture of Deepika from her early days at his institute and wrote, "Dearest @deepikapadukone! Congratulations on being one of the presenters at this year’s Oscar ceremony! Every time you climb one step higher on the ladder of success, we at @actorprepares feel proud to have been part of your journey. On a personal note as your teacher I always knew sky is not the limit. You will go beyond!! Love and blessings always! Congratulations for Pathan too! Jai Ho!"
