Aamir Khan Speaks For Zaira Wasim, Urges People to 'Leave Her Alone'

Bollywood actor Aamir Khan took to social media on Tuesday to extend support to his Dangal co-star Zaira Wasim who was trolled for meeting Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti.

This comes after writer-lyricist Javed Akhtar and Bollywood director Vivek Agnihotri expressed distress about Wasim getting trolled online.

Kan said, "I have read Zaira's statement, and I can understand what lead her to make that statement. Zaira, I want you to know that we are all with you. The beauty is that bright, young, talented, hardworking, respectful, caring and courageous kids like you are a role model for kids not only in India, but across the world."

"You certainly are a role model for me! May God Bless you. Love. Aamir. P.S.: I appeal to everyone to now leave her alone and respect the fact that she is just a 16 yr old trying her best to deal with life," he added.

Wasim, who played the younger version of wrestler Geeta Phogat in the Aamir Khan-starrer Dangal was trolled online after she met Mufti by a group of people who blamed the Chief Minister over recent unrest in the Valley and demanded that she should apologise for her actions.

The young actress apologised on Monday after she was trolled on social media for her meeting. “Forgive me, I am just sixteen... I want to apologise to all those people who I have unintentionally hurt. People have been hurt by who I meet," she had said.

"I'm being projected as a role model for Kashmiri youth... I don't want anyone to follow my footsteps. I am not proud of what I am doing," she added.

Former Jammu and Kashmir CM Omar Abdullah took to twitter to express solidarity with Wasim. "A 16 year old shouldn't be forced to apologise & that too allegedly for meeting @MehboobaMufti. What are we coming to!!!!!," he wrote on twitter.

Wasim will now be seen essaying the role role of a Muslim girl in Aamir Khan's next production Secret Superstar. In the film, she don a burqa to conceal her identity because her father is against her wish to pursue a career in music.