Pallavi Sharma
DHARAMSHALA:
While Himachal Pradesh continues to reel under one of the worst monsoon disasters in several years, two of its most prominent film personalities — Preity Zinta and Anupam Kher — have remained notably silent on the devastation back home.
Both actors trace their roots to the hill state, yet neither has made any public statements or contributions toward Himachal’s ongoing crisis, which has already led to losses of nearly Rs 4,000 crore, said a Shimla resident.
Preity Zinta, who hails from Rohru in Shimla district and spent her early years in the state capital, has instead directed her philanthropic focus toward neighbouring Punjab. Her Indian Premier League franchise Punjab Kings has announced a Rs 33.8 lakh donation to flood relief efforts in Punjab, in partnership with Hemkunt Foundation and Round Table India.
The team has also launched a crowdfunding campaign aiming to raise Rs 2 crore by September 15 to be donated to a global Sikh charity working on ground.
The funds are being used to provide inflatable rescue boats, medical supplies and clean drinking water in severely impacted districts. While this move has drawn praise from fans across the country, it has also raised questions among Himachal residents about the lack of attention toward their own state’s suffering.
Veteran actor Anupam Kher, whose family has roots in Nabha near Shimla where he also owns a house, has also not come forward with any donation for Himachal. His wife Kirron Kher is a former BJP MP from Chandigarh.
In contrast, actress and BJP MP from Mandi Kangana Ranaut has claimed credit on social media for facilitating the release of over Rs 3 crore in immediate central assistance for the restoration of the Mandi-Manali National Highway, a route battered by the swollen Sutlej and crucial for both local transit and tourism.
The silence of some of Himachal’s most prominent names has sparked criticism on social media, with locals expressing disappointment over what they see as a lack of solidarity from their own.
