India is fighting a devastating second wave of Covid-19 that is killing thousands each day. Video / AP
Fans and public figures have turned on "insensitive" Bollywood stars for shamelessly sharing photos of idyllic tropical hideaways after fleeing India's worsening COVID crisis.
As India grapples with record numbers of daily infections, hospitals run out of essential supplies and bodies pile up at crematoriums, many of the country's rich and famous have escaped the misery for sunnier scenes.
Many have set off to the Maldives, which is becoming a popular bolthole for those who can afford to leave India on private jets or by paying skyrocketing commercial airfares.
Indian star Disha Patani's trip to the Maldives has been branded as 'insensitive' amid the country's worsening Covid outbreak. Photo / Screenshot, Instagram
While the tropical island nation has tightened entry conditions for Indian travellers, it has not shut its border completely. A growing list of other countries, including Australia, have banned flights from India.
Bollywood star Ranbir Kapoor, the industry's sixth highest paid actor, shared photos as he left virus-ravaged India with his girlfriend Alia Bhatt on April 19.
"Maldives calling," Kapoor captioned the photo of him and Ms Bhatt at Mumbai airport.
Actor Ranbir Kapoor and girlfriend Alia Bhatt were shamed for travelling through Mumbai Airport. Photo / Instagram
Fellow Bollywood couple Disha Patani and Tiger Shroff also made a run for the Maldives, with Patani, 28, sharing Instagram photos of herself soaking up the Maldivian sunshine on the beach and at a luxury resort.
Disha Patani, 28, flew to the Maldives with her boyfriend Tiger Shroff. Photo / Instagram
Other celebs slam returning stars
Both couples returned to India on the weekend as the country recorded the worst single-day increase in cases in any country since the pandemic began.
In a tweet, veteran actor Annu Kapoor urged public figures to not be insensitive.
"I humbly appeal to rich and famous from all walks of life and media not to post their pictures vacationing at exotic locations while the most of the world suffers with pandemic," he said.
I humbly appeal to rich and famous from all walks of life and media not to post their pictures vacationing at exotic locations while the most of the world suffers with pandemic किसी को जला के मज़लूमों की बद्दुआ क्यों लेना ?
Actor Shruti Haasan told local media she felt it was "insensitive" for celebrities to flaunt their holidays while the pandemic raged.
"Glad they had a great holiday, they deserved it," she said, according to the Hindustan Times. "I did not personally feel it was a time to go maskless in a pool. It has been a tough time for everyone and for some people, much more.
"I think gratitude and being thankful for privileges is what is most important to know versus throwing your privileges in people's faces."
Social media pans Maldives trips
The holidaying celebrities were also called out by the public on social media.
"Really pathetic of these guys," one person raged.
"Celebrities showed their true face in times of pandemic," another said.
"Where the hell these celebs going?" someone else said. "When the entire nation is in such a crisis and the government is imposing lockdowns? Can't their vacations wait for a bit?"
The Bollywood couples are among a cohort of wealthy Indians who have fled the country as the virus crisis spirals out of control.
Private jet operators say wealthy escapees are paying tens of thousands of dollars for a one-way flight out of India on private jet.
A spokesman for Enthral Aviation told AFP a 13-seater jet flight from Mumbai to Dubai was $52,000, and the company had been slammed with bookings in the final days before the United Arab Emirates banned flights from India on Sunday.
Commercial airline prices have also been soaring as more countries close the door on India. In the final days before the UAE's flight ban came into effect, a one-way flight in economy class from Mumbai to Dubai cost as much as $1750 – more than 10 times the regular price.
New Zealand has closed its borders to arrivals from India. Yesterday, Australia followed suit, suspending passenger flights until May 15, and Canada, Hong Kong, the United Arab Emirates and the UK are among other destinations that have done the same.
On Tuesday India recorded a massive rise in virus cases, with 323,144 new infections and 2771 deaths, bringing the caseload to more than 17.6 million.
