The gruesome terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Kashmir, on April 22 has shaken the entire nation. Around 27 civilians lost their lives while enjoying the pristine beauty of the valley. At least 26 people, mostly civilians, were shot by terrorists during the attack, which occurred around 3 PM in the Baisaran Valley near Pahalgam.
Several celebrities have strongly condemned the attack. Netizens also took to social media, expressing concerns about the safety of Kashmir and cancelling their pre-planned trips, leading to a significant impact on local tourism.
Atul Kulkarni visits Pahalgam, urges Indians to show support; gets trolled
Amid rising uncertainty over security, many actors have urged citizens to continue visiting Kashmir to support the region.
On Sunday, popular actor Atul Kulkarni shared his visit to Pahalgam on social media, encouraging people to travel to Kashmir. He documented his journey through Instagram reels and posts, highlighting empty flights that were once fully booked.
Kulkarni also posted a photo of his flight ticket to Kashmir on X (formerly Twitter) and later shared a picture from inside a nearly empty aircraft. He wrote, "Mumbai to Srinagar, Kashmir. Crew said these flights ran FULL. We need to fill them again."
Throughout his trip, Atul posted glimpses of his Kashmir holiday, including his boarding pass, a handwritten note from the flight crew, and breathtaking images of the region's scenic beauty — clear skies, free-flowing streams, and lush greenery. In one clip, local Kashmiris were seen holding placards reading "We condemn this attack," while another showed a local proudly waving the Indian tricolour.
In one of the videos, he is seen drinking Kashmir's noon tea.
However, his trip sparked mixed reactions online. Some users felt the actor was being insensitive to the ongoing tensions in the region. Comments like "Sir, please cross LOC also, don't just sit on benches," and "Time to unfollow" appeared under his posts.
A user wrote, "I considered you a intellectual but doing such things to remain in the limelight is childish."
Another wrote, "Shameless!! It is a WAR MEMORIAL now. Do not demean & ridicule the death of 28 Indians."
As the backlash grew, Kulkarni disabled comments on his posts from Kashmir but continued sharing photos and updates from his trip.
