Priyanka slams Mallika for calling India 'regressive'

Former Miss World Priyanka Chopra condemned her fellow actress Mallika Sherawat for calling India a "regressive nation for women" on an international platform.

Priyanka is "highly offended" by the "Murder" girl's statement at the recently concluded 66th Cannes International Film Festival.

"I think we are a progressive nation. I disagree that we are a regressive nation. We are all sitting here and talking about educating the girl child, taking our country forward. I think it's a misrepresentation of what our great nation is on the world platform," said the actress Monday at the launch of a mobile application by Unicef, of which she is an ambassador.

"It was something of which I felt extremely offended by," she added.

Calling Mallika's statement an "extreme misrepresentation" of India and "unfair", Priyanka said: "When it comes to Mallika's statements, I think they were very callous and I don't agree with her. It was upsetting for me as a woman. It was upsetting for me as a girl who comes from India. I think it was extreme misrepresentation of our nation. I don't think it's fair."

Hailing from a Jat family in Haryana, 36-year-old Mallika made her debut in Bollywood in 2003 with "Khwahish". Later, she went on to do international projects like Jackie Chan-starrer 2005 film "The Myth", followed by "Hisss" and "Politics of Love".