The recent horrific terrorist attack at Pahalgam, Kashmir, has resurfaced the cracks between India and Pakistan. Coming to the film industry, many industry celebrities have condemned the attack and expressed their solidarity with the victims. On the other side, people on social media demanded that filmmakers not work with Pakistani actors or crew members for Indian films.
Since yesterday, it was widely reported on social media that Imanvi, the leading lady of Prabhas-Hanu Raghavapudi’s next film, is the daughter of a Pakistani military man. A section of netizens demanded that makers remove her from the film. The news went viral all over the internet in just a few hours. However, Imanvi clarified that reports of her connection with Pakistan are completely fake. She claimed herself as a proud Indian-American.
She took to social media to pen a note explaining her citizenship. She wrote, “First and foremost, I want to express my most sincere and heartfelt condolences for the tragic event that took place in Pahalgam. My heart goes out to all those who lost their lives and their loved ones. Any loss of innocent life is tragic and weighs heavily on my heart. I strongly condemn the violent acts. As someone whose mission has always been to spread light and love through art, I hope to see a day soon where we can all come together as one.”
Calling the ongoing reports fake, Imanvi stated, “I also want to address rumors and lies that have been falsely spread about my identity and my family via fake news sources and online media in order to create division and spread hate. Firstly, nobody in my family has ever been or is currently associated with the Pakistani military in any way. This and multiple other falsehoods have been fabricated by online trolls for the sole purpose of spreading hate. What is especially disappointing is that legitimate news outlets, journalists, and those on social media failed to investigate their source material and instead have simply repeated these slanderous statements.”
Clarifying that she is a proud Indian American, the actress penned, “I am a proud Indian American who speaks Hindi, Telugu, Gujarati, and English. I was born in Los Angeles, California after my parents legally immigrated to the United States as youth. Soon after they became American citizens. Upon completing my university education in the USA, I pursued a career in the arts as an actor, choreographer, and dancer. After much work in this realm, I am incredibly grateful to receive opportunities to work in the Indian film industry. This same film industry has been a great influence in my life, and I hope to add to the incredible legacy of the trailblazers that came before me. As someone who has Indian identity and culture running deep in my blood, I hope to use this medium as a form of unity and not divisiveness.”
“As we mourn tragic loss of life, let’s continue to spread love and uplift one another. Throughout history, art has been a medium that creates awareness, empathy, and connection across cultures, people, and experiences. I will work hard to ensure that this legacy carries on through my work and uplifts the experiences of my Indian heritage,” she went on to add.
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