Jackky called Malala his 'hero'. Image on right, courtesy Reuters
Bollywood actor Jackky Bhagnani, who made a faux pas last year when he misspelt Nobel Peace Prize winner Malala Yousafzai's name as 'Masala' in a tweet, got a chance to meet the Pakistani activist in London on Thursday. He considered the meeting as his 'dream' and called Malala his 'hero'. (Also Read:
For Malala Yousafzai on Birthday, With Love from Jackky Bhagnani)
Jackky, who has appeared in films like
F.A.L.T.U and
Welcome to Karachi, earlier apologised to the 18-year-old activist through a satirical six-minute video. The video went viral on social media on the occasion of Malala's 18th birthday on July 12.
The response to the video was so overwhelming that it urged Malala and her father, Ziauddin Yousafzai to invite the actor over to their place. "For me, things have come full circle. From an auto-correct mistake to a birthday video tribute, to a dream meeting with one of my heroes, Malala is not just an inspiration but a living example of how to fight with courage and determination," Jackky, who left for London on Monday, said in a statement.
"Her humility is touching and her sincerity is what makes her the leader that she is. Malala is a celebration of the human spirit and this meeting was an opportunity for me to experience that," he added.
Malala said Jackky's video was the 'first thing' she saw on her birthday, which 'made my day.'
"The support encourages me to go on further as I know I'm not a lone girl in this mission of wanting girls to get quality education. I'm very thankful to Jackky and the team that made this video." Malala said.
Jackky also shared a photograph of the meeting on Twitter:
He also shared this video message from Malala: