Yesterday, in a step that left many people astounded, 16-year-old Dangal star, Zaira Wasim, put up a Facebook post apologising for and clarifying her "recent actions". The "recent actions" being referred to involved her meeting with the Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister, Mehbooba Mufti.
Wasim's post also urged people to keep in mind that she was only 16 years old and that she was sorry for what she did. Strangely enough, she went on to urge others not to consider her a role model, adding that to do so would be a "disgrace".
This is the post she had put up:
Wasim deleted the post a couple of minutes later, but not before it set Twitter and Facebook ablaze. She then put up another post:
In this post, she mentioned that she was not forced into doing anything by anyone. She then deleted her second post too.
Many on Twitter and Facebook have deduced from her two posts that Wasim has, perhaps, been trolled for acting, which is considered un-Islamic by many. Others, however, believe that she was trolled online only for meeting the chief minister.
Like many others, Geeta Phogat and Babita Kumari -- the real life inspirations for Dangal -- were quick to show their support to the Kashmiri teenager and asked her not to be scared. Speaking to ANI, Phogat reiterated that Wasim's achievements were commendable and she should not have to apologise for them. She also said that she and her sisters have faced plenty of criticism in their lives and that such criticism should be ignored.
Kumari too asked Wasim not to be afraid, reminding her that the whole country was behind her.
You can watch the Phogat sisters standing up for Wasim here: