Priyanka Chopra called out as a 'hypocrite' for encouraging nuclear war against Pakistan

Bollywood actress Priyanka Chopra has come under fire after being called out as a "hypocrite" at a Beautycon panel in Los Angeles. Ayesha Malik, an audience member, criticised the actress for a February 26 tweet praising the Indian army for airstrikes in Pakistan, days after the Pulwama terror attack in India. Malik condemned her for promoting a nuclear war against Pakistan while being a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador.

"It was kind of hard hearing you talk about humanity because as your neighbor, a Pakistani, I know you're a bit of a hypocrite," Malik said.

"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—" she continued before the microphone is snatched from her hands.

Chopra launched into her defence, saying, "Whenever you're done venting ... got it, done? Okay, cool."

"I have many, many friends from Pakistan and I am from India, and war is not something that I'm really fond of, but I am patriotic," Chopra explains. "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?" the actress said. "Girl, don't yell. We're all here for love. Don't yell. Don't embarrass yourself."

Malik later published a series of tweets criticising Chopra for making her look like the 'bad guy'. She tweeted, "It was hard listening to her say, 'we should be neighbors and love each other' — swing that advice over to your PM. Both India and Pakistan were in danger. And instead she tweeted out in favor for nuclear war."

She further wrote, "It took me back to when I couldn't reach my family because of the blackouts and how scared/helpless I was. She gaslit me and turned the narrative around on me being the 'bad guy' — as a UN ambassador this was so irresponsible."

After Priyanka's controversial tweet in February, where she wrote, "Jai Hind #IndianArmedForces," Pakistanis petitioned to remove her as the UNICEF Goodwill ambassador. Pakistan's Federal Minister for Human Rights Shireen Mazari echoed the demand.