Just recently, Sara Ali Khan was in Varanasi shooting for her upcoming film Atrangi Re, in which she will be co-starring with Dhanush and Akshay Kumar and videos from her visit went viral on social media. The actress, who is very active on social media, herself took to her Instagram to share a V-log in which she could be seen walking through the crowded lanes of Varanasi. A video on social media also showed Sara along with her mom Amrita Singh performing the Ganga Arti on the ghats of the holy river.
However, looks like her Varanasi visit has got her mired in controversy as it seems to have upset the local pundits and the Kashi Vikas Samiti. The Samiti has raised objections on the grounds that Sara Ali Khan in a non-Hindu. IANS reports that Chandra Shekhar Kapoor, the secretary of the Samiti said, “The actor's visit to the temple is against traditions and established norms. It also raises questions on the security of the temple when there is a sign board clearly stating that the entry of 'non-Hindus' is prohibited."
He further stated that a few priests had violated norms as they probably got a handsome dakshina and free publicity. The Kashi Vikas Samiti also demanded a probe into the visit and asked action to be taken against those who are responsible.
While one priest Amarnath Bajpai defended the actress saying that she was accompanied by Amrita Singh, who is a Hindu, another priest Rakesh Mishra said, “Though we appreciate her interest in the Hindu religion but the fact remains that she is a Muslim and should not have participated in the rituals. For her, all this could be 'interesting and exciting' but for us, it is a matter of religious piety.”
Image Source: Instagram/saraalikhan95/sarafan219