TV / My roots are in Afghanistan but I am an Indian citizen: Arshi Khan

Mumbai: Bigg Boss 14 contestant Arshi Khan opened up about people 'unnecessarily target and troll' her over her citizenship. Born in Afghanistan, Arshi reiterated that she is an Indian citizen. She revealed that her work has also suffered as she has been misunderstood to be a Pakistani citizen living in India.

Speaking to a leading daily, Arshi Khan said, "I have a hard time when people unnecessarily target and troll me while questioning me over my citizenship. They misunderstand me to be a citizen of Pakistan who is living in India. And for this confusion at times I have suffered on my work front too. These are such sad experiences of life. I want to make it clear once and for all that I am an Indian in every way. I own all Indian government approved identity cards. I am not from Pakistan, but very much from India itself."

She also added, "I'm an Afghani Pathan, and my family belongs to the Yusuf Zaheer Pathan ethnic group. My grandfather had migrated from Afghanistan and was a jailer in Bhopal. My roots are in Afghanistan but I am an Indian citizen."

Afghanistan plunged into crisis after the Taliban captured the country's capital Kabul. They seized power for the first time since 2001. Their takeover has led to thousands of people attempting to flee the country.

Earlier, speaking with SpotboyE about the current situation in the Taliban-controlled nation, she had said she was extremely disturbed adding that some of her friends and relatives are still in the country.

"I was born in Afghanistan and later migrated to India with my family. I am now worried about the female citizens of the county after Taliban's rule comes into force. I am Afghani Pathan. And It scares me and gives me goosebumps. I'm worried about the female citizens of the county. I was born there and the thought, if I was one among them, is actually making me scream out of fear," Arshi had said.

She along with her family shifted to Bhopal when she was four years old. Arshi made her acting debut in 2014 with the Tamil film Malli Mishtu. She has appeared on Bigg Boss 11 along with Vikas Gupta and Shilpa Shinde. She returned for Bigg Boss 14 as a "challenger".