Vir Das pokes fun at Indian celebrities/influencers amid Maldives controversy
Indian celebrities like Akshay Kumar and Kangana Ranaut have rallied behind a campaign to boycott Maldives tourism on Sunday. This follows derogatory remarks made by several Maldivian ministers about Prime Minister Narendra Modi and India after the PM shared pictures/videos from his recent visit to Lakshadweep. On Monday morning, comedian-actor Vir Das chimed in, joking about Indian celebrities/influencers being "terrified to post" their Maldives vacation photos amid this ongoing controversy.
Why does this story matter?
On Thursday, PM Modi shared photos from his Lakshadweep trip, praising the islands' beauty. Maldives now-suspended minister Mariyam Shiuna, in tweets (which were deleted later), called him a "clown" and a "puppet of Israel." Other ministers accused India of "copying a small economy like Sri Lanka" for profit. Maldivian politician Zahid Rameez posted a racist comment, questioning, "How can they be so clean? The permanent smell in the rooms will be the biggest downfall," referring to Indian hotels.
This is how Twitterverse reacted to Das's hilarious take
Das humorously shared on X, "Firstly, happy Lakshadweep is getting some love! Secondly, Somewhere in the Maldives, right now, is an Indian celebrity/influencer, who didn't eat carbs for two weeks, took the best vacation photos ever, and is TERRIFIED to post them." Users reacted to his post, with one mentioning "Few are deleting the past pictures too." One more tweeted, "One (Indian influencer/celeb) already put pics last week and now lecturing others to stay away."
Take a look at his post here
'Unprovoked hate': Earlier, Kumar condemned hateful comments from Maldivians
On Sunday, Kumar took to X/Twitter to denounce the offensive comments from Maldivian public figures. He wrote, "Came across comments from prominent public figures from the Maldives passing hateful and racist comments on Indians. Surprised that they are doing this to a country that sends them the maximum number of tourists." Kumar also urged people to support Indian tourism and explore Indian islands instead of tolerating such "unprovoked hate."
Celebrities promoted Indian tourism across social media
Other celebrities, including Salman Khan, Shraddha Kapoor, John Abraham, and cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar, shared their support for Indian islands using the hashtag #ExploreIndianIslands. Khan praised PM Modi's visit to Lakshadweep, while Kapoor expressed her desire to book a vacation there. Abraham tweeted about the "fantastic Indian hospitality" and abundant marine life in Lakshadweep. Sara Ali Khan and Janhvi Kapoor promoted Indian tourism by posting photos of Lakshadweep, too.
Meanwhile, Maldivian ministers were reportedly suspended over derogatory remarks
Per reports, the Maldives government suspended three ministers, including Shiuna and Hassan Zihan, over their derogatory remarks. However, later, Zihan called the suspension news fake. The government distanced itself from the controversy, stating that "the opinions expressed were personal and did not represent the views of the Maldives government." They emphasized that freedom of expression should be exercised responsibly and not spread hatred or negativity that could hinder relationships between countries.
