A routine celebrity sighting at an airport has unexpectedly spiralled into an online controversy for Priyanka Chopra, after an old video resurfaced and triggered accusations of a staged public-relations stunt. The clip, widely shared across social platforms, shows Priyanka walking through an airport terminal as two fans approach her for autographs. She signs their papers politely and continues on her way. Moments later, however, the same two individuals appear once again before paparazzi cameras, requesting another autograph. Priyanka obliges without hesitation, a gesture that many on the internet interpreted as evidence of a “manufactured” encounter.
Social-media users quickly jumped to conclusions, labelling the interaction “fake,” “scripted,” and “PR-driven.” Some alleged that the fans were planted by her team to create a favourable public moment. The conversation grew increasingly accusatory as the clip circulated, with commenters insisting that the repetitive autograph exchange seemed too contrived to be genuine.
Amid the online uproar, Hollywood actor Bella Thorne stepped in to defend Priyanka, offering a grounded explanation for the seemingly odd interaction. After coming across one such video, Bella responded directly in the comments, firmly dismissing the idea that the incident was orchestrated. She explained that autograph seekers often follow celebrities through terminals, sometimes asking repeatedly for signatures because the signed sheets can later be sold online. Many of them, she noted, carry blank pages that are later used to digitally attach signatures to photographs or memorabilia for resale.
Bella wrote, “No, I don’t think this is a PR stunt. They just follow you everywhere when you’re in the terminal — they also sell those pages online. Either way I highly doubt she staged it. She’s just being nice and signing it again because they won’t leave her alone and are continuing to follow her through the terminal.” Her comment shifted the tone of the discussion almost instantly, with many users praising her for offering clarity and defending Priyanka against unwarranted criticism.
While the online chatter continues, Priyanka remains focused on an ambitious slate of upcoming projects. She is set to return to Indian cinema with SS Rajamouli’s Telugu film Varanasi, co-starring Mahesh Babu and Prithviraj Sukumaran, scheduled for a Sankranthi 2027 release. In addition, she will be seen in The Bluff and is currently working on the second season of her global action series Citadel. Despite the temporary social-media storm, Priyanka’s professional momentum shows no signs of slowing down.
