Bollywood superstar Aamir Khan on Tuesday tweeted in support of \u2018Dangal\u2019 actress Zaira Wasim who was subjected to vicious trolling after meeting Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti.\nZaira Wasim on Monday issued an apology for meeting Mehbooba Mufti but later withdrew it after receiving support from well-wishers, including Bollywood celebrities and politicians.
\nThe 16-year-old, who played the role of young Geeta Phogat in \u2018Dangal\u2019, met Mehbooba Mufti on Saturday, who enquired about her education and interest in other creative fields like acting. However, the Srinagar-based Zaira was trolled on social media when photos from the meeting emerged.
\nBut politicians like former J&K CM Omar Abdullah and film celebrities Javed Akhtar, Anupam Kher and Vivek Agnihotri came out in her support, lashing out at those who trolled her, questioning her \u2018azadi\u2019 (freedom) in the country.
\nOmar Abdullah posted: \u201cA 16 year old shouldn\u2019t be forced to apologise and that too allegedly for meeting Mehbooba Mufti. What are we coming to! I\u2019ve a problem with Mehbooba Mufti trying to usurp other peoples success to cover up her own failures but why punish\/troll people she meets?\u201d
\nJaved Akhtar wondered whether Zaira had \u2018azadi\u2019 to do as she wished and tweeted: \u201cThose who shout \u2018azadi\u2019 from the roof tops don\u2019t give an iota of azadi to others. Poor Zaira Waseem had to apologise for her success. Shame!\u201d
\nAnupam Kher, too, expressed his support for the young actress, calling her his role model and posted: \u201cDear Zaira Wasim, your apology letter is sad but full of courage. It exposes the cowardice of people who made you write it. But you are my role model.\u201d
\nVivek Agnihotri also shared instances from his past and lashed out at individuals for not taking a stand in support of Zaira.
\nLater, however, Zaira deleted the apology and posted a clarification — but this, too, the actress took down later.
\nThe now-deleted clarification read: \u201cRegarding my last post, I have no idea why this has become such a big issue. I just wanted to make sure that I did not hurt anyone\u2019s feelings and all of a sudden it has been turned into national news. Again and again I am telling people that I have not been forced into anything by anyone.\u201d
\n\u201cThis post was not meant against anyone, just wanted to make sure that people were not hurt by what I was doing. From media to everyone else, please don\u2019t blow this out of proportion. Neither was I forced nor am I against anyone. Hopefully this post just stops this once and for all.\u201d
\nZaira rose to fame as young Geeta Phogat in the Aamir Khan blockbuster \u2018Dangal\u2019 which has been lauded by the audiences for its powerful portrayal of the story of Mahavir Singh Phogat, who, much to the disapproval of his wife and his whole village, trained his daughters Geeta and Babita to wrestle.<\/p>\n