Alia faces heat again over British citizenship amid Indo-Pak tensions
What's the story
Bollywood actor Alia Bhatt's British citizenship has come under scrutiny yet again, this time after her mother Soni Razdan shared a petition on Instagram urging India and Pakistan to "stop the hostilities."
The post was quickly deleted after receiving criticism, but not before it added more fuel to the fire of people questioning Razdan and Bhatt's loyalty to their country.
Public reaction
Netizens questioned Razdan's sincerity amid backlash
One user, commenting on Razdan's post, wrote, "While peace is the ideal goal, it's important to acknowledge who is truly escalating the conflict."
They questioned her sincerity and wrote, "This message coming from someone whose daughter enjoys all the privileges of India while holding foreign citizenship raises concerns about sincerity and accountability."
Razdan replied, explaining her appeal for peace was aimed at Pakistan, not India.
Defense
'No one who's been through war would wish it...'
Defending herself against criticism over her stand, Razdan said, "My appeal for peace was not toward India but toward Pakistan. They are the aggressors after all."
"I think people have jumped to conclusions. Also, it was more of a generalized statement. Hope that clarifies. I'm as devastated as everyone else, naturally. War is a terrible thing."
"No one who has been through a war would wish it on anyone."
Citizenship confirmation
Bhatt confirmed British citizenship during Hollywood film promotion
Born and raised in India, Bhatt confirmed her British citizenship while promoting her Hollywood debut Heart of Stone.
In a chat with her co-star Gal Gadot for Wired, she said, "My mother was born in Birmingham, and while I was born and raised in India, I still hold a British passport."
Razdan had revealed her British citizenship in 2019 but emphasized she had been a responsible citizen of India, too.