Soon enough, the hashtags BoycottChhapaak and BlockDeepika began trending in Indian Twitter with members of the incumbent Bharatiya Janata Party contributing in its proliferation. The visit angered BJP leaders who expressed it in social media. On 7 January 2020, Padukone joined a protest-gathering at Jawaharlal Nehru University against the 2020 JNU Attack against left wing students and passage of CAA 2019. The film was allowed by the government to be exhibited without payment of taxes in the states of Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan. The film is based on the real-life story of acid attack survivor Laxmi Agarwal. The film ends with another acid attack in December 2013, and laments that despite the new regulations and media exposure, the frequency of acid attacks has not decreased, while acid is still bought and sold freely in India. In October 2013, the Delhi High Court rejects Basheer's appeal, keeping the attackers in jail. It is revealed that Basheer planned the acid attack on Malti in jealousy, and carried it out with help from Parveen. Malti becomes the face of acid attack survivors and develops feelings for Amol. In 2013, another acid attack in Mumbai claims the life of Pinky Rathore, which leads to public outrage and regulations on acid sale.
She eventually succeeds in having the penal code amended.
Malti collects funds for treatment and legal action for other acid attack survivors. In August 2009, the court sentences Basheer Khan to 10 years and Parveen Shaikh to 7 years of imprisonment, but they appeal to the High Court.
Meanwhile, Malti's brother Rohit is diagnosed with advanced intestinal tuberculosis. Malti recognizes the need for a change to the law and regulations on acid sale, and she and Archana prepare a petition. However, as the law doesn't treat acid attack as a serious crime, Babbu is able to make bail and continue on with his life. In the first hearings, it is clear that Babbu and Parveen are guilty, as Malti's story is corroborated by witnesses and Parveen has the tell-tale burnt fingers from throwing the acid. Malti's parents work as domestic help in Shiraz's house she helps financially with Malti's treatment and hires Archana Bajaj to be her lawyer.Īrchana notes that acid attacks and burning someone with hot water come under the same section of the Indian Penal Code, so the punishment will be the same.
The police arrest Babbu after triangulating his phone signal in the same area as the attack, while Malti undergoes a series of surgeries to reconstruct her severely damaged face. The police investigate – based on Malti's and her boyfriend Rajesh's testimony, they suspect Basheer "Babbu" Khan, a family friend of Malti's, and his brother's wife Parveen Shaikh. In April 2005, Malti is attacked with acid in a busy market street in New Delhi. Malti is looking for employment, and Amol employs her at his organization.
A reporter named Alka meets Amol Dwivedi, the creator of a foundation for acid attack survivors, and informs him about Malti, one such survivor fighting for a ban on the sale of acid.