From Pavitra Punia calling Maldives ‘sh*t’ to Ashneer Grover taking an indirect dig at Ranveer Singh’s post; Celebs react to the ‘Lakshadweep-Maldives’ controversy

Social media is abuzz with a range of opinions from Indians sharing their perspectives on the Maldives. Prime Minister Narendra Modi posted several photos from his visit to Lakshadweep without taking name of any other place. Nevertheless, some Maldivian government ministers delivered strong criticisms of India, triggering a social media conflict between the two nations. In response, numerous celebrities from the film and television industries emerged to express their solidarity with India.

Bigg Boss fame Pavitra Punia recently took to social media and shared a video saying, “I am really bad at following the news and current affairs right now. But last night I got to know something about Maldives and why people are denying to go to Maldives. So I researched about it and I would also like to contribute for Maldives and that is…” She takes a pause and adds, “You are sh*t. I always thought of going to that place this year because I have never been there… but you know what…” She then shows the middle finger.

Divya Agarwal posted a photo and shared a note about her plans to get married in India amidst the ‘Maldives Row’. She wrote, “Just before the entire Maldives mess up, I was very keen on getting married in our own country India.. from my bachelorette party to the honeymoon, I want it all in India.. we are blessed with everything that the rest of the world has! BEACHES, MOUNTAINS, FORESTS, DESERTS!!! Our beautiful nation has best of best weather throughout the year from monsoon to snow! INDIA WELCOMES EVERY ONE WITH LOVE AND RESPECT… we have been taught Atithi Devo bhava.”

Ashneer Grover from Shark Tank India had a witty remark to make. Bollywood actor Vir Das took to X and posted, “Firstly, happy Lakshadweep is getting some love! Second, there's an Indian celebrity/influencer somewhere in the Maldives right now who didn't eat carbs for two weeks, shot the nicest holiday pics ever, and is TERRIFIED to post them:-)" In response to the tweet shared by Vir Das, Ashneer Grover wrote, "Thirdly there is some movie star, previously inactive on Twitter, who is now copy-pasting the same message to visit Indian islands - without knowing where Lakshadweep is and in parallel hiding previous Maldives story on insta ;)" Although Ashneer Grover did not take names and addressed the actor anonymously, his comments drew a lot of attention. Several X users commented on the former Shark Tank judge's post. A lot of users commented, "Did you mean Ranveer Singh?", "Ranveer Singh it is, say it openly..." However, Ashneer didn't revert to either of them.

Niyati voiced her opinions, stating, “It’s disheartening to listen to such remarks about India. I stand by Indian tourism, as for me, our country comes first. India is blessed with serene coastlines and enchanting beauty which should be highlighted. Perks of traveling in India include our important culture of ‘Atithi Devo Bhava’. There’s so much to explore in our beautiful country, and now I am truly looking forward to planning a vacay to Lakshwadeep.”

Akanksha expressed her astonishment at the derogatory comments made by some Maldives ministers. She also encouraged citizens to explore the beauty of India saying, “It’s very disturbing and disappointing to see such kind of remarks from Maldivian ministers. We should believe in supporting and growing together and not demeaning fellow ones. I am so glad that our honourable PM is promoting India’s tourism. Lakshadweep is really a beautiful and serene place and I really can’t wait to explore its beauty. I would urge everyone to consider Lakshadweep as an alternative for the Maldives.”

Actor Tina Datta expressed her astonishment at the derogatory comments from some Maldives ministers. She shared, “A proud Indian, & I’m so glad that our PM is promoting our country on the tourism front. Loved Maldives twice when I visited, but I didn’t like the comments coming towards our country. As a global economy let’s help each to grow & not demean any1. #Lakshadweep #exploringindianislands.”

Ali Merchant, who got married to Andleeb Zaidi changed his honeymoon destination from Maldives to Thailand the last minute owing to the conversation. The actor tweeted, “Opted for a sudden change in honeymoon plans—Maldives to Thailand this time. Putting my country first, always. Excited about our next destination, Lakshadweep! Thanks to PM Modi for letting us discover this beautiful island. #PrioritizingCountry #BoycottMaldives #ExploreIndia.”