No one saw coming what JNU was about to see on Tuesday evening. The JNUSU president Aishe Ghosh, her bandaged head and arm in a sling, stood next to a Kanhaiya Kumar, the latter seemingly oblivious of the person who had walked in. Deepika Padukone stood nearby and listened to his chants of "Hum chheen ke lenge azadi". Quiet, pensive, not a hair or word out of place.

"Deepika stayed in JNU for about 10 minutes and left without saying anything," flashed the messages on our news groups. Spice, the PR agency that manages Deepika and is doing the promotions for Chhapaak, had sent the photos too. One of them made it to the front pages of most English dailies in the country. A hands-folded Deepika and Aishe in the same frame.

Videos that have since gone viral online also showed Deepika hugging Aishe. Kanhaiya, on the other hand, said that he was not aware she had come to the university.

Yes, Deepika went to JNU and stood in solidarity with the JNUSU students, hugged Aishe and made Twitter go berserk. As the Left embraced Deepika with arms wide open, the Right called for a boycott of Chhapaak. Deepika is against Modi, is the current sentiment among Right Wing Twitterati. Is she?

Deepika has largely had a to and fro relationship with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who the Left has been calling 'fascist' and the Right sees as a messiah. What is this love-hate equation Deepika shares with Modi?

SEPTEMBER 2013: During the then-Prime Ministerial candidate Narendra Modi's 2014 campaign, the minister ensured he tweeted to the who's who of Bollywood to 'encourage voter registration'. PM Modi wrote, "Dear @deepikapadukone, let's encourage voter registration among 18-24 yr olds. Large number of them unregistered. EC drive presently underway."

Deepika did not respond to him on Twitter. Well, this was before Modi became the personality he is today.

NOVEMBER 2016: By now, Narendra Modi was the Prime Minister and well into his first term. November 8 saw that unforgettable (not going into why) speech by Modi that began with "Mitron" and ended with Rs 1000 and Rs 500 currency notes being banished from the country. The same week, Deepika praised Modi's decision of demonetisation, the 'surgical strike' against black money. "I think it was high time we did it. I think it was an exceptional move by the government... I would like to congratulate them on that," said Deepika.

NOVEMBER 2017: By now, Deepika's film Padmavati (later Padmaavat) was under attack from several Hindu fringe groups. The Karni Sena cried foul and went to the streets screaming revenge for the desecration of the memory of Rani Padmavati. They had vandalised the set of the film and physically attacked director Sanjay Leela Bhansali. The 'script', these offended people said, included a dream sequence where Alauddin Khilji romanced Rani Padmavati. Then it receded below the surface for a few months. Around the initial release of Padmavati, the protests peaked. The Censor Board was brought in again and letters from Raja Rawal Singh's family and Rani Padmavati's descendants were sent out.

Deepika said, "It's appalling, it's absolutely appalling. What have we gotten ourselves into? And where have we reached as a nation? We have regressed." She didn't stop there. She said, "The only people we are answerable to is the Censor Board, and I know and I believe that nothing can stop the release of this film." She was right, but only partially.

NOVEMBER 2017: In the next two weeks, the Karni Sena issued threats left, right and centre with support from the Right and criticism from the Left. PM Narendra Modi did not say a word. He did not condemn the statements, he did not call for peace. The Rajput Karni Sena threatened to chop off Deepika's nose at this point. They also wanted to burn her alive and behead her (all of them together? We're not sure).

A disturbed Deepika was asked if she would like protection from the state. "In an ideal world, yes. I think it is too soon to tell. But yes it would be nicer to feel safer or protected at this point," said the actress.

Padmavati, meanwhile, became Padmaavat and released in theatres a month later. It was pulled off screens in some states, while school buses were burnt in NCR and theatres were torched in Bihar. It went on to become one of the biggest blockbusters of 2018. And no, there was no 'dream sequence' featuring an Alauddin Khilji romancing Rani Padmavati.

FEBRUARY 2019: Deepika Padukone attended an award function in Mumbai where she was on stage with the then Chief Minister of Maharashtra, Devendra Fadnavis. Deepika was asked if she had any interest in politics and if she would ever want to hold an office. Her reply was simple: she is obsessed with cleanliness, so she would want to be the Minister for Swachh Bharat!

MARCH 2019: It was time for general elections once again. PM Narendra Modi tweeted to Deepika, "Requesting @deepikapadukone, @aliaa08 and @AnushkaSharma to urge people to vote in large numbers for the coming elections. As renowned film personalities whose work is admired by many, I am sure their message will have a positive impact on our citizens."

At an award show that month, Deepika responded to PM Modi's appeal to ask people to vote. "It is very important for everyone to vote. Who you vote for is a personal choice. I think everyone has various experiences through the government. Some people are positively impacted, some people are not. At the end of the day, your country comes first and your responsibility as a citizen is the most important thing. I would encourage everyone to go out there and vote," said Deepika. When Mumbai went to vote, Deepika, in her white oversized shirt and denims, held up her inked finger. A selfie follwed.

OCTOBER 2019: Deepika turned Bharat Ki Laxmi for PM Narendra Modi's Diwali ad campaign. Narendra Modi shared the video on Twitter with an ode to India's 'Nari Shakti', "India's Nari Shakti epitomises talent and tenacity, determination and dedication. Our ethos has always taught us to strive for women empowerment. Through this video, PV Sindhu and Deepika Padukone excellently convey the message of celebrating #BharatKiLaxmi." Deepika also tweeted, "This Diwali, let us throw light on & celebrate the contribution & accomplishments of the women of our country! #BharatKiLaxmi."

JANUARY 2020: Deepika stands with the victims of Sunday's attack, an act that is being seen as 'anti-Modi'. The day later, her film Chhapaak is being demonised, she is being trolled for changing the acid attacker's religion in her film and people are baying for her blood.

But that picture of Deepika Padukone with Aishe is also a testament to India's Nari Shakti. With or without the naysayers' opinions.

The writer tweets as @ananya116.

(With inputs from Vibha Maru and Jyoti Kanyal)

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