Actor Anupam Kher has revealed that he was invited to The Kapil Sharma Show but decided not to go since the film, The Kashmir Files, is on a serious topic. Kapil Sharma was embroiled in controversy after the film’s director Vivek Agnihotri claimed that the team of The Kashmir Files wasn’t invited to the comedian’s show.
However, in an interview with Times Now, Anupam and Vivek both said that Kapil doesn’t harbour any negative feelings towards the film or them. Kapil thanked Anupam for the clarification, in a tweet. Kapil tweeted, “Thank you paji @AnupamPKher for clarifying all the false allegations against me. Aur un sab dosto ka bhi shukriya jinhone bina sach jaane mujhe itni mohabbat di. Khush rahiye, muskurate rahiye (And thanks to those who were on my side even without knowing the whole truth. Keep smiling.)”
Anupam Kher told Times Now, “To be very honest I must say it here I was called to be on the show. Maine Harman, jo mere manager hai, usko kaha tha ki ‘Ye film bari serious hai, main isme nahi jasakta hun (I had told Harman, my manager, 'This film is very serious, I can't go on the show)'. So I want to put my point over here.”
He said, “It happened around two months ago that I was told 'Aap aajayye (Please come)'. I have been on the show a few times and it's a funny show. It's very difficult to do a funny show and he does it very well. I don't think Kapil has any malice towards us or towards the film.” Vivek Agnihotri added, “No, no, no. I don’t think so.”
The controversy around The Kashmir Files and Kapil Sharma began after a fan said that they wanted to see the team on Kapil’s show and Vivek had responded, “They refused to call on their show because we don't have a big commercial star.”
After his tweet, several Twitter users started calling for a boycott of the show.
In a separate tweet, Vivek had written, “I don’t get to decide who should be invited on @KapilSharmaK9 show. It’s his and his producers choice whom he wants to invite. As far as Bollywood is concerned, I’d say what once Mr. Bachchan was quoted saying about Gandhis: They are kings, we are the poor ones,” adding, “Even I am a fan. But it's a fact that they refused to call us on their show because there is no big star. In Bollywood non-starter Directors, writers and Good actors are considered as NOBODIES."
A fan had also asked Kapil why he was ‘afraid of promoting The Kashmir Files’. Kapil, in his defense, said, “Yeh sach nahi hai rathore sahab aapne pujha isliye bata dia, baki jinhone sach maan hi liya unko explanation dene ka kya fayda (This is not true, I have replied because you asked me about it, but those who have already accepted it to be true, there is no use in giving them an explanation). Just a suggestion as an experienced social media user:- never believe in one-sided story in today’s social media world. Dhanyawaad.”
The Kashmir Files stars Anupam, Mithun Chakraborty, Darshan Kumar, and Pallavi Joshi, and is based on the exodus of Kashmiri pandits. The film released on 11 March.
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