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Priyanka Chopra is wishing for harmony between India and Pakistan, years after she caught flak over her stance on the 2019 Balakot incident.
The Baywatch actor had expressed hope for peace to prevail between the two neighbouring countries, in an interview with BBC Asian Network journalist Haroon Rashid.
Turning to his Instagram, Rashid shared a teaser of his podcast interview with the actor, in which she spoke about a heartwarming exchange between a Pakistani British Airways agent and her parents that has stuck with her throughout these years.
“She talks in her book about her hopes for harmony between India and Pakistan giving a lovely anecdote of how a Pakistani British Airways agent gave her parents a seat on a flight when they really needed it,” the journalist said underneath his Instagram post, responding to a user about questioning Chopra on her stance on the Balakot incident.
“She said she hoped the countries could share such warm exchanges always. And you’ll have to find out if I ask her more on her increasing public silence when the full interview releases,” Rashid added.
Back in 2019, Chopra had stirred chaos with her ‘condescending’ response after a Pakistani woman named Ayesha Malik accused her of “encouraging nuclear war against Pakistan” in 2019.
“So it was kind of hard hearing you talk about humanity because as your neighbour, a Pakistani, I know you’re a bit of a hypocrite. You tweeted on February 26, ‘Jai Hind #IndianArmedForces’,” Malik had said in the video that went viral within no time.
“You are a UNICEF ambassador for peace and you’re encouraging nuclear war against Pakistan. There’s no winner in this. As a Pakistani, millions of people like me have supported you in your business of Bollywood and you wanted nuclear war,” Malik added.
Answering her, Chopra said: “I have many, many friends from Pakistan and I am from India, and war is not something that I am really fond of but I am patriotic. So, I’m sorry if I hurt sentiments to people who do love me and have loved me, but I think that all of us have a sort of middle ground that we all have to walk, just like you probably do as well.”
“The way you came at me right now? Girl, don’t yell. We’re all here for love. Don’t yell. Don’t embarrass yourself. But we all walk that middle ground, but thank you for your enthusiasm and your question and your voice,” she added.