A cavalcade of Bollywood’s brightest stars, including Ranveer Singh, Shraddha Kapoor, and Varun Dhawan, alongside seasoned actors like Salman Khan, Akshay Kumar, Kangana Ranaut, and John Abraham, have rallied behind a campaign promoting tourism to Lakshadweep, as the idyllic Indian archipelago finds itself at the heart of a diplomatic tiff with the Maldives.
The drive, which has emerged under the banner of ‘visit Lakshadweep campaign’ with the significant pull of hashtag ExploreIndianIslands, saw these celebrities encouraging their legions of followers to discover the myriad charms of Indian islands.
The initiative comes in the wake of a charged dispute spurred by disparaging remarks from Maldivian leaders concerning Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent visit to Lakshadweep. Bollywood’s elite have responded with fervent patriotism and a push for domestic tourism, perhaps encapsulated best by the words of Amitabh Bachchan, who responded to a post by the former Indian cricketer Virender Sehwag with a powerful message of self-reliance, “Hum Bharat hai, Hum Aatmanirbhar hai and do not harm our self-reliance.”
Echoing this sentiment of national pride and indomitability, Sehwag had earlier spotlighted India’s wealth of stunning but less-traveled locales, from the sandy coastlines of Udupi to the tranquil shores of Paradise Beach in Pondicherry and not forgetting the Neil and Havelock islands in Andaman. He stressed the untapped potential of these sites to be developed into tourist hotspots, thereby bolstering the nation’s economy.
In response to these unprompted antagonistic comments, Akshay Kumar took to social media to voice his dismay and highlight the incongruity of such remarks coming from a nation that benefits from the influx of Indian tourists. With diplomatic finesse and a touch of rebuke, he explained, “We are good to our neighbours, but why should we tolerate such unprovoked hate?”
Reinforcing the narrative of national unity and pride, Salman Khan lauded Prime Minister Modi’s visit to the picturesque Lakshadweep, emphasizing the allure of these locations as part of India’s vast natural treasury.
The undercurrent of this collective call to action goes beyond just promoting local tourism. The Bollywood brigade is appealing to the nation’s ethos of “Atmanirbhar Bharat” (Self-reliant India), which seeks to bolster the country’s economic independence and self-sufficiency.
The incident that lit the fuse involved a Maldivian Deputy Minister along with other officials who resorted to unseemly and disrespectful observations on Prime Minister Modi’s visit, subsequently causing considerable diplomatic furor. This compelled the Maldivian Minister of Foreign Affairs to officially disavow these comments, underscoring their intent to maintain a “positive and constructive dialogue” with neighbors.
While the Maldivian Envoy to India was seen leaving the Ministry of External Affairs following these events, the larger narrative has shifted towards recognizing and savoring the splendors of Indian shorelines, which remain untapped treasures on the cusp of discovery.
As Bollywood celebrities wield their influence to steer public attention and affection towards Indian shores, this movement serves to reframe perspectives, promoting a deeper appreciation and exploration of India’s own enchanting islands. With the power of celebrity voices advocating the beauty of India’s own, the message is clear—there is much to be admired and explored right at home.
