Dear Priyanka Chopra, why do you speak up on all issues except those that affect Indians?

Dear Priyanka,

As a fellow Desi, I have always been proud of the way you made a name for yourself overseas - not that you had to - I mean, we don’t really need the validation of white Americans, do we? But I, for one, have always been in awe of how you, in your own words, ‘straddle the world’ with one foot in Bollywood and another one in Hollywood. But, when it comes to your ‘hot takes’ on social-cultural issues, they are either conveniently timed or reek of hypocrisy. Allow me to explain. Remember when you, in an advertisement, opened up about your struggles with Asthma and made an emotional appeal to all Indians to not burst firecrackers on Diwali? I remember it. In fact, all of us remember it because shortly after, at your wedding with Nick Jonas, there was an extravagant display of firecrackers. Next year, an image of you smoking a cigarette at a yacht in Miami went viral. After not one but two incidents which clearly expose your hypocrisy, how do you expect us Desis, let alone the Americans, to take you seriously?

All of us Desis rallied behind you in support when a journalist called you a ‘global scam artist’ for marrying Nick Jonas . Us Indians were the first ones to defend you when an audience member at a convention launched a scathing attack on you over your tweet on the Pulwama attacks. Why, then, do you continue to let your fellow Desis down?

Recently, you posted a lengthy essay on Instagram lending support to the women protesting in Iran against the Mahsa Amini’s death. This selective outrage is appalling for many reasons.  Back in your home country, the contentious Hijab debate continues to rage after girls in a Karnataka school were barred from attending schools and colleges for wearing a hijab. You chose to side with the left when it came to the US which isn’t surprising since many of your colleagues in Hollywood identify with the left-wing agenda. But why did you not take a similar position for the hijab row in India? Is it because you were afraid that the government might hound you for sharing your opinions? If that was the case, why did you speak up on the contentious issue at all? Your intentions are crystal clear. You want to get the brownie points by siding with the left in America but don’t want the government in India to penalise you for taking a similar stance here. Guess what Priyanka? You cannot have your cake and eat it too!

By sticking to this brand of selective outrage and speaking out only when it is convenient, you’ve made sure no one in India, let alone the Americans, take you seriously. When your opinions lack consistency, how can you expect us to rally behind you like we did back in the day? It doesn’t really matter if you choose to side with the left or the right. What matters is that you took a stance on an issue to get clout and public goodwill in America but completely refused to acknowledge the same issue in your home country.

But your hypocrisy doesn’t end here. In the past, many people, on numerous occasions, have pointed out a similar pattern of opportunism with you. Why does your accent sound unremarkably American in India but more Indian (Desi) in America? Why do you preach self-love to your followers when you have clearly endorsed fairness creams in the past? To be fair, you did address the issue of fairness creams once, albeit obliquely, but not once did you acknowledge the harm you caused to young girls who look up to you through those ads. Your hypocrisy also became the center of attention when in the wake of the Russia-Ukraine crisis in February 2022, you urged the world leaders to help the refugees The right wing, which might be problematic in its own ways, rightfully called you out for not speaking up on the displacement of Kashmiri Pandits in India. It is one thing when your outrage is selective. But to release every statement and reaction in a calculated manner after having weighed the pros and cons of how the public might perceive it is very unbecoming of you.

The aim here is not to force you to speak up against the Indian government. Your voice is yours completely and you are the only one who gets to decide when to speak up. But as fans and more so as fellow Desis, we must call you out when your statements and political stance seem opportunistic,

Priyanka Chopra - I know you love straddling the world as you make your presence felt in both Bollywood and Hollywood. Being a part of two industries means you get twice the number of eyeballs but that also means twice the accountability. And as a fellow Desi, I have to hold you accountable.

Here’s hoping that our very own ‘Desi Girl’ is more candid with her views going forward and less opportunistic.

Deepansh Duggal is an entertainment, pop-culture and trends writer based in New Delhi. He specializes in op-eds based on the socio-political and gender issues in the world of entertainment and showbiz. He also writes explainers and occasionally reviews shows in the OTT space. He tweets at @Deepansh75. 

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