In a now-deleted video shared on Instagram Stories that quickly gained traction on Sunday, Indian actor Babil Khan - son of the late star Irrfan Khan - name-called a number of Bollywood celebrities over unclear context.
Crying to the camera, he said, "I just want you guys to know that there are people like Shanaya Kapoor, Ananya Panday, Arjun Kapoor, Siddhant Chaturvedi, Raghav Juyal, Adarsh Gourav, even Arijit Singh, and so many more names. Bollywood is so f*****. Bollywood is so screwed."
What first had netizens expressing concern over Babil's well-being quickly transformed into widespread confusion when the actor and his team denied any strife between the artists.
Babil's family and team released a statement online to offer some clarity. "Over the past few years, Babil Khan has earned immense love and appreciation for his work, as well as for his openness about his mental health journey. Like anyone else, Babil is allowed to have difficult days - and this was one of them. We want to reassure all his well-wishers that he is safe and will be feeling better soon."
The statement assured the actor's fans that his gesture was misinterpreted. "In the clip, Babil was sincerely acknowledging a few of his peers whom he believes are making meaningful contributions to the evolving landscape of Indian cinema. His mention of artists like Ananya Panday, Shanaya Kapoor, Siddhant Chaturvedi, Raghav Juyal, Adarsh Gourav, Arjun Kapoor, and Arijit Singh came from a place of genuine admiration - for their authenticity, passion, and efforts to restore credibility and heart in the industry."
The statement concluded on a plea, "We respectfully urge media publications and the public to consider the full context of his words rather than drawing conclusions from fragmented video clips."
Babil, who had previously deactivated his Instagram account, took to Stories once again to elaborate on the clarification. "The video was extremely misinterpreted," he wrote, adding that he had only intended to show support to all the artists he'd named. "I genuinely don't have the energy to indulge this more. But I do this as a responsibility towards my peers who I truly admire."
Response to the shout out
While Babil went on to share chummy photos with the list of people he had name-dropped, the relevant artists also took to Instagram to clear the air.
Siddhant, who began by mentioning that he usually doesn't engage with gossip-mongers, said, "To all the Redditors, gossip columns, and media portals of the internet: stop. We love to hate and hate to love. Is this what we've come to? Stop looking for drama here. All of us are working hard to bring you drama on the screen. Maybe something's lacking on the screen that you're looking for now in our personal lives. We'll keep trying our best. You should also try not to pass judgement without thinking it through. Peace out."
The male artists all flashed their brotherly camaraderie online, with Adarsh outright saying, "Only love and support for you, brother." Meanwhile, Babil replied, "Thank you, brother. Half of one's life is spent in misunderstandings, but keeping it authentic with true friends, that's a good thing."
The Qala actor also responded to Raghav, who joined his peers in resharing the statement. "Brother, you are my icon, my idol, and the elder brother that I never had," Babil said.
Ananya also broke her silence on the matter, writing, "Only love and good energy for you, Babil. I'm always in your corner."
COMMENTS
Comments are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive.
For more information, please see our Comments FAQ