Deepika Padukone and the team behind Chhapaak recently shared a video that attempts to highlight how easy it is to procure acid in India. Deepika Padukone’s role in her latest release Chhapaak is based on acid attack survivor Laxmi Agarwal, who had acid thrown on her at the age of 15. The film has been directed by Meghna Gulzar and also stars Vikrant Massey.
In the video, a team of actors go to various stores trying to purchase acid while Deepika and two cameramen monitor the proceedings from a car.
Each of them request the shopkeepers to sell them a bottle of acid and even ask them whether it would burn someone’s skin. Only one shop owner refuses to sell the acid without seeing ID proof. One woman casually asks the person attempting to make a purchase whether he intends to throw the acid on somebody. Though another actor tries to be cagey about his reasons for buying acid, the shopkeeper tries to dissuade him from using it to harm someone but sells it to him anyway.
At the end of the video, Deepika reveals that her team managed to buy 24 bottles of acid in one day, despite the sale of acid being strictly regulated in India. Deepika urges everyone to also report instances of illegal acid sales because, “Acid sells and hence acid is thrown.” “I think not just shopkeepers, but it’s also our responsibility that if we ever see anyone illegally buy or sell acid, we should immediately inform the police,” she says. The video closes with acid attack victims coming together to explain the laws in place regarding the sale of acid.
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