Kal Penn BACKS Priyanka Chopra for picking hot dogs over vada pav: ‘Aren’t people allowed to like other things?’

Actor, producer and former White House staffer Kal Penn has come forward in support of Priyanka Chopra after her recent food preference stirred an unexpected online debate. The drama began when Priyanka, during a red carpet interview at the premiere of her film ‘Heads of State’, picked hot dogs over the beloved Mumbai street snack, vada pav.

While many fans were amused, others expressed their disappointment at her choice, with some even accusing her of turning her back on Indian street food. But Kal Penn, known for his roles in ‘Harold & Kumar’ and ‘Designated Survivor’, had a simple question in response to the criticism, “Are people not allowed to like other things?”

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Kal Penn recalls MasterChef food moment

Speaking to Indian Express, Kal admitted that he hadn’t seen exactly what Priyanka said, but he opened up about facing similar moments. He recalled being on MasterChef, where the judges were surprised when he said his favourite food was tacos.

“They were clearly disappointed, and then they asked me whether I could cook something like chicken tikka masala or something Indian. I told them straight away no, and they asked me, ‘Do you not like Indian food?’ I told them I loved Indian food, and I had even planned on cooking one of my mother’s recipes on the show, but now I am definitely not going to do it,” Kal shared.

Kal feels others push their preferences

Kal believes that people often expect celebrities to behave a certain way, especially when it comes to culture. “For me, it’s just the silliness of the fact that are people not allowed to like other things? I think people just project their own likes and dislikes, so I just laugh it off,” he said.

Kal Penn calls Priyanka unapologetically real

Kal also shared kind words about Priyanka. He said, “I know and love her. I find her to be completely authentic and wonderful, and unapologetically so, which is very refreshing.”

Priyanka’s food choice sparked online reactions

The food talk started when Priyanka was asked to choose between hot dogs and vada pav at the premiere of her film ‘Heads of State’. She quickly picked hot dogs and didn’t say yes to samosas either. This led to a wave of reactions on social media. Some people joked about it, but others questioned her ‘desi-ness’.

Not one to stay silent, Priyanka shared a funny reel by an influencer on Instagram. In the video, he questioned why she took so long to pick between Indian and Western snacks. She wrote in her story, “Wow bro! Didn't know there was a syllabus for being desi. Its not that serious (laughing face emoticons).”

Priyanka’s upcoming films

PeeCee will be back as Nadia in Season 2 of ‘Citadel’. She is also playing a 19th-century Caribbean pirate in ‘The Bluff’. Another big film on her list is one by SS Rajamouli, where she will star alongside Mahesh Babu.