Sobhita Dhulipala shared this image. (courtesy sobhitad)
Highlights
- She said the man in the viral picture was a stranger who offered to help
- The actress could be seen getting clicked by a man on her terrace
- She earlier claimed that the photoshoot was "self-timed" by her
Model-turned-actress Sobhita Dhulipala became the unwilling center of controversy after she was accused of faking a "self-timed" magazine cover. Ms Dhulipala released a statement on Friday night, where she stated that she "stands by the flow of events with complete transparency." Her statement came a day after a behind-the-scene picture from her Cosmopolitan magazine shoot surfaced online, in which the actress could be seen getting clicked by a man on her terrace. Sobhita had earlier shared photographs from a magazine photoshoot, claiming that she had clicked the pictures herself. Speaking of the aforementioned photograph, the Bard Of Blood actress said that the man in the viral photo was a stranger who offered to click a photo for her.
An excerpt from Ms Dhulipala's statement read: "Quite a few people have written to me about the image I last posted. It is upsetting and I am little taken aback by how urgently many have jumped to unkind conclusions, this is also a moment for me to learn something deeper. I stand by the flow of events I'm sharing with complete transparency."Later in her post, she explained the chronology of the events and said that she is "anything but proud of this wonderful collaboration with the magazine." Explaining the sequence of events, she added, "I style myself, go to the terrace with a coffee mug and a couple of tools to prop up my phone to take pictures. There are people on the terrace and one kind gentleman upon learning that I'm trying to shoot my pictures, offers help. After he graciously shoots a few pictures in the frame I wanted, I thank him and we depart."
The actress signed off her statement saying, "Stay home, stay safe." She wrote: "Neither was the picture shot by him used by Cosmopolitan (It doesn't belong with the magazine's mandate) nor am I anything but proud of this wonderful collaboration with the magazine. I only posted it along with the official ones because I like it. I recognise that I should have altered the caption text to mention that the second image was not part of the magazine shoot. I wish I had a more exciting, dramatic story but alas, truth often wears plain robes! Stay home and stay safe."
Read Sobhita's statement here:
Earlier, Sobhita shared pictures from her photoshoot with the magazine on her Instagram profile. "I had the unique opportunity to style myself, do my hair/makeup and take pictures on a phone (hello, self-timer, my new friend) in the confines of my house," she wrote.
In the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, a 21-day lockdown was imposed by PM Narendra Modi on March 25 during which people are allowed to go out only for food and medicines. Keeping into consideration the rise in the number of coronavirus cases in the country, the lockdown has been extended till May 3.
Sobhita Dhulipala has featured in Amazon Prime's Made In Heaven and Netflix's Bard of Blood and Ghost Stories. She has starred in films such as The Body and Raman Raghav.