Bizarre and ridiculous: No, Shah Rukh Khan did not 'spit' on Lata Mangeshkar's body

Superstar's gesture at the late legend's funeral blew out of proportion on social media.

On Sunday, public figures from all walks of life, alongside Lata Mangeshkar's family and friends, gathered at Mumbai's Shivaji Park to pay respect to the legendary singer, whose final rites were performed there. The Nightingale of India was laid to rest with full state honours.

From Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to cricketer Sachin Tendulkar to B-town celebrities including Shah Rukh Khan, Ranbir Kapoor, among several others, attended the cremation ceremony.

However, what caught the attention of most was Khan, offering a dua ahead of Mangeshkar's body and then blowing on it. While SRK fans touched by the act, hailed the moment as ‘a picture of secular India’, the gesture blew out of proportion on social media after trolls alleged Khan had spit on the late legend's mortal remains. Several known figures also condemned the 'deplorable' act.

State In-Charge of BJP for Haryana Arun Yadav asked, “Has it spit?” He re-tweeted ‘political observer’ Rishi Bagree’s tweet, which states, “Seems like Lata jee’s funeral has become SRK’s rehabilitation PR.” A user also commented on it saying, “Exactly my thoughts. Frankly it won’t be preposterous to think that it was done after much planning! He could have 'phoonk' in his mask too. It would have reached the destination filtered!” Writer and former-interim Director officer Central Bureau of Investigation, Mannem Nageswara Rao tweeted: “Did you, SRK, spit at the funeral of #LataMangeshkar jee? Being a public figure, you are required to give public clarification immediately.”

क्या इसने थूका है ❓ pic.twitter.com/RZOa2NVM5I

— Arun Yadav (@beingarun28) February 6, 2022

Exactly my thoughts..
Frankly it won’t be preposterous to think that it was done after much planning! He could have “phoonk” in his mask too .. it would have reached the destination filtered !
But he did it as a dare !

— RituMod 🕉 (@RituM67501354) February 7, 2022

Was @iamsrk spitting?
Seems like he was& this is outrageous ,this sort of people needs to shown their real places .
No appology can wash away such an act. https://t.co/MVjabz4Unv

— Shirshendu Ghoshal 🇮🇳 (@ShirshenduG80) February 6, 2022

Kidhar se yeh fooknaa lag raha hain madamji? https://t.co/xtAqLqhXbO

— Shirshendu Ghoshal 🇮🇳 (@ShirshenduG80) February 6, 2022

Did you @iamsrk spit at the funeral of #LataMangeshkar Ji?
Being a public figure you are required to give public clarification immediately. pic.twitter.com/kUU3aEDN0I

— M. Nageswara Rao IPS(R) (@MNageswarRaoIPS) February 6, 2022

But while those unaware of the common practice continued to spew venom, others rejected the claim, asserting that vested elements had tried to give a ‘poisonous’ twist to the homage Khan paid.

Sharing Yadav’s tweet, founding editor of The Wire, Siddharth Varadarajan wrote, “This atrocious tweet is from a BJP office bearer. Let there be no doubt about which bunch of people is spreading filth and poison in society. If Arun Yadav is ignorant about a dua, he could have always asked someone before claiming SRK spat. Kuch bhi.” Activist Aishe Ghosh maintained, “No hate can conquer this.” Journalist Vidya Krishnan tweeted, “Shah Rukh Khan is a national treasure. That cockroach from BJP who put out that hateful lie yesterday will disappear. So will his party and its troll farms. SRK's work will outlast them all.” Filmmaker Ashok Pandit assured, “Fringe targetting SRK by falsely accusing him of spitting at Lata Mangeshkar jee’s funeral should be ashamed of themselves. He prayed and blew on her mortal remains for protection and blessings in her onward journey. Such communal filth has no place in a country like ours.”

This picture pretty much 'broke the internet' in India. So much love for #KingKhan #dua https://t.co/bZla40HcFr

— Gargi Rawat (@GargiRawat) February 7, 2022

There would be fact checks that "No, #ShahRukhKhan didn't spit, he gave dua". Imagine this needs to be clarified for one of the most influential people not only in India, but in this world. Just because he is Muslim.

— Kaushik Raj (@kaushikrj6) February 6, 2022

No hate can conquer this....

❤️#ShahRukhKhan pic.twitter.com/rCKoKu2mvX

— Aishe (ঐশী) (@aishe_ghosh) February 6, 2022

This man is loved for a reason.#ShahRukhKhan pic.twitter.com/huLMt1eqxF

— Renuka Vyavahare (@renukaVyavahare) February 6, 2022

Dua and Shraddhanjali in one frame.
This is the India haters don't like. Don't fall into the trap of hate. Respect all religions.#ShahRukhKhan #LataMangeshkarJi pic.twitter.com/vUs2ZfX9dY

— Dr. Mahipal Singh Rathore (@MahipalRathore) February 6, 2022

This atrocious tweet is from a BJP office bearer. Let there be no doubt about which bunch of people is spreading filth and poison in society. If Arun Yadav is ignorant about a dua, he could have always asked someone before claiming @iamsrk spat. Kuch bhi. https://t.co/wGdShhLjno

— Siddharth (@svaradarajan) February 6, 2022

Stay strong, @iamsrk. Yet again.

— 𝙋𝙧𝙚𝙧𝙣𝙖 𝙇𝙞𝙙𝙝𝙤𝙤 (@PLidhoo) February 6, 2022

I just knew that the moment Shah Rukh Khan makes a public appearance, these hooligans will jump him. He can't even read dua for a legendary singer without being vilified. How exactly do y'all say such things and not be absolutely ashamed of yourselves? Sigh.

— Monica 💜 💚 (@MonicaYadav08) February 6, 2022

Shah Rukh Khan is a national treasure.

That cockroach from BJP who put out that hateful lie yesterday will disappear. So will his party & its troll farms.

@iamsrk 's work will outlast them all.

— Vidya (@VidyaKrishnan) February 7, 2022

Fringe targetting @iamsrk by falsely accusing him of spitting at #LataMangeshkar Ji’s funeral should be ashamed of themselves. He prayed & blew on her mortal remains for protection & blessings in her onward journey. Such communal filth has no place in a country like ours 🤲🏼🙏🏼 pic.twitter.com/xLcaQPu1g8

— Ashoke Pandit (@ashokepandit) February 6, 2022

This is the India bigots can’t tolerate. Too bad! This is the India we will continue to fight for #LataMangeshkar #ShahRukhKhan @iamsrk https://t.co/afeQEv1dZQ

— Neha Khanna (@nehakhanna_07) February 6, 2022

Shah Rukh Khan reading a dua and blowing on Lata ji’s mortal remains for protection and blessings in the next life. Cannot comprehend the level of bitterness of those saying he is spitting. pic.twitter.com/JkCTcesl86

— Samina ✨ (@SRKsSamina_) February 6, 2022

Here’s ⁦@iamsrk⁩ and his wife ⁦@gaurikhan⁩ bidding adieu to Lataji. What a picture of amity and respect this makes #Faith #Humanity pic.twitter.com/fT2M9ThviO

— Vinod Sharma (@VinodSharmaView) February 6, 2022

To be able to spin Shah Rukh Khan’s performing a Dua and blowing on Lata Mangeshkar, a sign of respect and blessing in his religion, to a defiling act like spitting only proves that so many out there only think about how to demonise Muslims next. pic.twitter.com/c9gfGGQXAz

— Andre Borges (@borges) February 6, 2022

You know what, all you Bigoted Haters are just making us love Shah Rukh Khan even more. The more you try to bring him down, the more we will love & fight for him.

— Harneet Singh (@Harneetsin) February 6, 2022

You can’t take SRK down there’s an entire generation of adults who called trains “Chaiya Chaiya” as kids.
He’s our childhood, we all have something to cherish about him. SRK represents every Indian the sanghis trying to spread nonsense don’t even represent every Hindu…

— Kunal Kamra (@kunalkamra88) February 7, 2022

The picture sent a positive message otherwise. “I just have one heart, how many times will you steal it?” asked a fan. “He decided to go there and pay her a tribute instead of posting anything on social media, King for a reason,” wrote another. “Shah Rukh is a true gentleman, he always pays tributes in person instead of posting,” commented another.

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