Priyanka Chopra apologises for portrayal of Indian as terrorist in American TV series Quantico

Bollywood actress Priyanka Chopra has tendered an apology for the recent controversial episode in her American television series Quantico, that reportedly showed Indians as terrorists. Taking to microblogging site Twitter, the actress said that her intention was not to hurt the sentiment of the people and that she was a proud Indian.

"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. (sic)," Priyanka tweeted.

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. — PRIYANKA (@priyankachopra) June 9, 2018

The episode, which aired on June 1, drew flak on social media, with fans questioning how Priyanka, an Indian, could even agree to be a part of the controversial plot.

The tweet from the former Miss World came after ABC Studios, the executive producer of ‘Quantico’, apologised for the episode to fans who were offended. The episode had portrayed Indian nationals as terrorists who tried to frame Pakistani citizens in a terror plot.

They said that they regret stepping into "a complex political issue", and they didn`t intend to offend anyone.

The episode, titled The Blood of Romeo, went on air on June 1. Priyanka, who plays FBI agent Alex Parrish in the series, thwarts a terror plot just days before a summit between India and Pakistan is to be held.

During her investigations, Priyanka finds a religious Hindu symbol - a Rudraksh chain - on the neck of one of the suspects leading her to conclude that the plot was devised by Indian nationalists to frame Pakistan in a nuclear terror attack.

Some fans of the show were upset with the portrayal of Indians in the plot and took to Twitter to express their views. In fact, many fans slammed Priyanka for the track. 

ABC Studios clarified that Priyanka had no role in writing or directing the show: 

The statement read: "ABC Studios and the executive producers of `Quantico` would like to extend an apology to our audience who were offended by the most recent episode, `The Blood of Romeo`. 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. 

"She has no involvement in the casting of the show or the storylines depicted in the series." They also stressed that "Quantico" is a work of fiction.

(With agency inputs)