Mumbai, August 18 — Actress Janhvi Kapoor has addressed the backlash she received after chanting “Bharat Mata Ki Jai” during a Janmashtami celebration in Mumbai’s Ghatkopar area. The incident occurred at a Dahi Handi event on August 16, where Kapoor was invited to break the handi as part of the festivities. A video of her chanting the slogan went viral, prompting criticism from some netizens who claimed she confused the religious occasion with a patriotic one.
In response, Kapoor took to Instagram Stories to clarify the context. She shared the full video from the event, showing that BJP MLA Ram Kadam had first led the chant, and she simply echoed it. Kapoor wrote, “Just for context, full video lol. Unke bolne ke baad nahi bolti toh problem, aur bolo toh bhi video ko kaat ke meme material.” She added, “Waise sirf Janmashtami ke din nahi, roz bolungi ‘Bharat Mata ki Jaiiiiii!’” — affirming her pride in the slogan and dismissing the trolling.
The actress also delivered a speech in Marathi at the event, extending Janmashtami wishes and urging attendees to watch her upcoming film Param Sundari, which releases on August 29. Directed by Tushar Jalota and produced by Dinesh Vijan, the romantic comedy stars Kapoor alongside Sidharth Malhotra in their first on-screen pairing. The film explores a cross-cultural love story between a Delhi boy and a Kerala girl, with supporting roles played by Rajeev Khandelwal and Aakash Dahiya.
Kapoor’s response has sparked mixed reactions online, with some defending her patriotic expression and others continuing to critique the timing. Nonetheless, the actress remains unfazed, reiterating her commitment to expressing national pride regardless of the occasion.
