Mumbai, Oct 29 (PTI) Actor-turned-writer Twinkle Khannahas defended her husband, actor Akshay Kumar, in the wake of acontroversy which erupted after he passed what was seen as anoff-colour remark at stand-up comic Mallika Dua on a TV show.
According to reports, Mallika wanted to ring a bell toappreciate an act on 'The Great Indian Laughter Challenge', apractice followed by the show. Akshay had then said, "'Aapbell bajao, main aap ko bajata hun'". The colloquial word'bajao' is believed to carry violent or sexual undertones.
Twinkle, however, argued that "bajao" was a "phrase thatboth men and women use" and called it a "pun on the words andactions related to ringing of the bell".
She posted a lengthy statement on Twitter, saying thatshe wanted to "address the controversy" on the sets of 'TheLaughter Challenge'"It's a colloquial phrase that both men and women use -for instance, 'I am going to bajao him/her' or I got bajaoed',Red FM even has a tagline 'Bajate Raho' all without sexistconnotations," she said.
Akshay's comment had prompted Mallika's father,journalist Vinod Dua, to slam the actor on his Facebook page.
The post has since been removed by the website.
"Mr Vinod Dua, Ms Dua's father, had written a post - it'sbeen taken down now, stating, 'I am going to screw this cretinAkshay Kumar.' Should Mr Dua's statement also be takenliterally or interpreted in context," Twinkle wrote.
Twinkle added she always supported "freedom withincomedy" and asked people to stop dragging her into thecontroversy.
"I have always stood up for freedom within comedyincluding defending AIB's infamous roast on numerous occasionsin the past and that is my stance even today, so kindly stoptagging me in this debate," she concluded.
Akshay's comment made headlines after a video of comicShyam Rangeela mimicking Prime Minister Narendra Modi andCongress vice-president Rahul Gandhi was leaked on socialmedia.
Mallika, along with comedians Zakir Khan and HussainDalal, was reportedly fired from the show earlier this month.
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This is unedited, unformatted feed from the Press Trust of India wire.
