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In Bizarre Move, 'Dangal' Star Zaira Wasim Apologises After Being Trolled For Meeting J&K CM Mehbooba Mufti

Terrified?
Since Zaira met Mufti over the weekend, social media hasn't stopped trolling her.
Zaira Wasim/Facebook
Since Zaira met Mufti over the weekend, social media hasn't stopped trolling her.

In what seems like a bizarre move, Aamir Khan's 16-year-old Dangal co-star Zaira Wasim took to Facebook and Twitter 'clarifying' and 'apologising' to people for her 'recent' actions.

Her 'recent' actions meant meeting the chief minister Mehbooba Mufti.

"This is an open confession/apology. I know that many people have been offended and displeased by my recent actions or by the people I have recently met," she wrote. She has now deleted the post from Facebook.

Zaira urged everyone to treat her as a 16-year-old, writing, "I hope people still remember that I'm a just a 16 year old girl and I hope you treat me accordingly."

Sounds strange? Why would a 16-year-old who is being celebrated across the country have to apologise for meeting the chief minister of her home state?

Well, you can blame the trolls.

Since Zaira met Mufti over the weekend, social media hasn't stopped trolling her for no apparent reason.She reportedly got death threats too.

According to a large population in Kashmir, Mufti has been trying to show that there's peace in the Valley. And therefore, using Zaira to promote that idea too. Zaira's meeting with the chief minister was seen as something that doesn't go with the whole idea of 'rebelling' against the state.

Zaira also addressed how she was being held up as a role model for Kashmiris, and being upbraided for meeting with Mufti. "I am being projected as a role model for Kashmiri youth. I want to make it very clear that I do not want anyone to follow in my foot steps or even consider me a role model. I'm not proud of what I'm doing and I want everyone, especially the youth to know that there are real role models out there whether they be in this time or in our history," she wrote.

Ten minutes after she posted the open letter, she deleted it. She then clarified that she has not been forced to write it.

"Regarding 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's 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. This was 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't blow this out of proportion. Neither was I forced nor am I against anyone. Hopefully this post just stops this once and for all."

She later deleted this post too.

Zaira, who grew up in Srinagar, appeared in a handful of commercials before being cast in Dangal. She plays Geeta, the elder daughter of Aamir Khan's character, Mahavir Singh Phogat.

She has already been cast in Aamir Khan's next production, Secret Superstar.

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This article exists as part of the online archive for HuffPost India, which closed in 2020. Some features are no longer enabled. If you have questions or concerns about this article, please contact indiasupport@huffpost.com.