Bollywood actor John Abraham recently met with double bronze medalist Manu Bhaker and shared a picture with her on social media on Wednesday. The photo, however, sparked criticism from netizens as they disapproved of John holding one of Bhaker's medals. Manu Bhaker made history by becoming the first Indian woman shooter to win medals at the Olympics. She secured two bronze medals at the Paris Olympics 2024: one for finishing third in the 25m women's Pistol shooting event and another for her performance in the Women's 10M Air Pistol Individual event. On Wednesday morning, John posted a cheerful picture on Instagram in which he posed with Bhaker. The champion held one of her medals, while the other one was in John's hand.
"Had the pleasure of meeting @bhakermanu and her lovely family. She has made India proud!!! 🇮🇳 Respect," John captioned the photo. Despite the positive tone of the post, netizens were quick to criticize John, stating that he had no right to hold Bhaker's medal. "You should not have held the medal won by her! She has two hands to hold both the medals! You could have simply had a fan moment with her," one user commented. Another netizen remarked, "No one should be allowed to touch the medal… Earning the medal and posing with it are two very different things!" These comments reflect the strong feelings people have about the respect and recognition due to athletes' achievements.
On the professional front, John is gearing up for the release of his upcoming film, "Vedaa," which also stars Sharvari Wagh in the lead role. The film, reportedly inspired by true events, is set to premiere on August 15, coinciding with India's Independence Day. "Vedaa" will compete at the box office with Shraddha Kapoor's much-anticipated "Stree 2" and Akshay Kumar's "Khel Khel Mein."
Image Source: Instagram