Television host Maniesh Paul recently recalled being asked to make jokes about Katrina Kaif’s Hindi during award shows. However, Maniesh refused to mock the actress and instead assured the organisers that he could deliver funny punchlines without making anyone uncomfortable. Maniesh and Katrina appeared together in the 2010 action-comedy film Tees Maar Khan.
Speaking to Zoom TV, Maniesh recalled how Katrina would attend award nights he hosted and felt comfortable around him because he never made fun of her Hindi. “Jab main un dino bahut hosting kar raha tha, toh Katrina, every award night, she would come. And she would feel comfortable when I would be there. Why? Kyunki maine kabhi unki Hindi ka mazaak nahi banaya,” he said.
Maniesh explained that someone's inability to speak Hindi fluently should not become a subject of ridicule. He also described repeatedly joking about Katrina’s Hindi as “boring” and revealed that even television channels would sometimes pressure him to make such jokes. However, he stood his ground and assured them that he could make the audience laugh without targeting the actress.
“Kayi baar channel bhi pressure deta tha... lekin I used to say, ‘Aapko fun karna hai na? Aapko 3 minute ka laughter chahiye na? Main dila dunga,’” Maniesh recalled. The television host emphasised that making people laugh should not come at the cost of making someone feel uncomfortable or humiliated. According to him, a comedian or host can deliver entertaining punchlines without resorting to personal attacks.
Maniesh further revealed that he was also asked to crack jokes about people's break-ups and relationships. However, he chose not to make such remarks either. He explained that the channels would eventually move on because his performances still managed to make the audience laugh. He added that he never wanted to demean anyone on stage, keeping in mind that the people being targeted had families watching the award ceremonies too.
Katrina recently faced online trolling over her post-pregnancy appearance after she attended filmmaker Kuku Kohli’s funeral with her husband, Vicky Kaushal, in Mumbai on August 25, 2026. Pictures and videos from the event went viral, with several social media users making body-shaming remarks about the actress’s weight. Actor Shivaleeka Oberoi came to her defence, calling the criticism “ridiculous” and reminding people that postpartum recovery is a natural process. The controversy resurfaced in October when Katrina spoke about social media criticism at a Kay Beauty event in London, saying, “I think we really need to be careful of letting the narrative on social media affect our self-worth and our value, because there are so many opinions out there.”
