ABC, in its statement, said Chopra has no involvement in the storylines depicted in the series.
MUMBAI (Reuters) — U.S. television studio ABC has apologies to Indian fans of its crime drama “Quantico” after an episode featuring Indian nationalists trying to frame Pakistan in a terrorist plot sparked online outrage against Bollywood actor Priyanka Chopra, who plays a lead role in the show.
“The episode has stirred a lot of emotion, much of which is unfairly aimed at Priyanka Chopra, who didn’t create the show, nor does she write or direct it,” said Walt Disney-owned ABC in its statement.
Chopra, 35, is a revered Bollywood star in India, admired for her ability to cross over and achieve success in Hollywood, which has been rare for Indian actors.
After the recent Quantico episode, Chopra has faced online attacks at home, and even some calls to boycott her work and the brands that she endorses, including South Korean giant Samsung Electronics Co.
Meanwhile, Priyanka Chopra also apologised for a recent episode in Quantico, following online backlash for the ‘Indian nationalists’ terror plot line in her show.
The 35-year-old actor took to Twitter to clear the air around the episode, titled ‘The Blood of Romeo’, which received a lot of backlash from Indian fans of the show, who criticised her of being a part of the storyline that showed India in a negative light.
Calling herself a “proud Indian”, Chopra said she is “extremely saddened” and that hurting sentiments of people was never her intention.
“I’m extremely saddened and sorry that some sentiments have been hurt by a recent episode of ‘Quantico’ That was not and would never be my intention. I sincerely apologise. I’m a proud Indian and that will never change,” she tweeted
ABC, in its statement, said Chopra has no involvement in the storylines depicted in the series.
“The show has featured antagonists of many different ethnicities and backgrounds, but in this case we inadvertently and regrettably stepped into a complex political issue. It was certainly not our intention to offend anyone,” ABC said in a statement on Friday.
Movies and popular culture have been under attack from Hindu nationalists in India in the recent years. Earlier this year, a fringe outfit held violent protests here and threatened actors over the release of Bollywood film “Padmaavat”, which showed a Muslim ruler pursuing a Hindu queen. In 2016, online retail company Snapdeal was forced to drop actor Aamir Khan as its ambassador after backlash over his comments on intolerance in India.
(With inputs from PTI)
