Veteran actor Mukesh Khanna has lashed out at YouTuber Ranveer Allahbadia and said that he should be punished strictly for his crass comment during his appearance on Samay Raina's India's Got Latent. He called it a 'serious offense' and stated that it should not be taken lightly.
Expressing his outrage over the incident on X (formerly known as Twitter), the Shaktimaan actor called for strict punishment to prevent such incidents in the future.
Sharing his views on the controversy, Khanna wrote, "It is sad that a successful YouTuber like Ranveer Allahbadia made a horrible statement in a program called India’s Got Latent. Something to do with parents and sex. It enraged the whole nation."
He further criticised the misuse of freedom of expression, stating, "This reflects the undue liberty given today to the youth of our country to misuse the power of Freedom of Expression. This is not the first time the limit has been crossed. This is a serious offence. It should not be taken lightly. Offenders should be punished heavily to discourage people in the future from making such ashleel (obscene) and irresponsible statements."
In a dramatic statement, he even suggested a traditional form of public humiliation as punishment. "I have a punishment for such people - काला मुंह करके गधे पर बिठा कर उन्हें शहर भर में घुमाओ (Blacken their face, make them sit on a donkey, and parade them across the city). Next time, no one will dare to do this," he wrote in his post.
Ranveer has been facing severe backlash after his inappropriate remark during a recent episode of India’s Got Latent. The controversy has escalated, leading to police complaints, potential legal action, and demands for a ban on the show. Several public figures, including politicians and celebrities, have condemned his statement, while a Parliamentary panel is reportedly considering summoning him for an explanation.
On Monday (February 10), Ranveer issued an apology and stated that the problematic and controversial chunks have been removed from the episode. On Tuesday, the episode, featuring Ranveer and Apoorva Makhija among others, was completely removed from YouTube after government's order.
