Randeep Hooda criticized for sexist, casteist 'joke' against Mayawati
What's the story
Actor Randeep Hooda was at the center of a growing social media storm on Wednesday over a nine-year video in which he's seen making derogatory comments against Bahujan Samaj Party chief Mayawati. The 43-second clip from an event organized by a media house in 2012 resurfaced when a Twitter user shared it. Here are more details.
Details
Randeep and audience can be seen laughing in the video
In the video, Randeep cracks a joke, being castigated as casteist and sexist, and is seen laughing along with the audience. Nine years later, Twitterati and many others including activists and politicians were not amused and were furious at the actor's comments against a powerful woman leader and ex-Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh.
Twitter user
Twitter user named Agatha Srishtie first shared the video
The tweet of the user named Agatha Srishtie who first shared the said video read, "If this does not explain how casteist and sexist this society is, especially towards Dalit women, I don't know what will." "The 'joke,' the audacity, the crowd. Randeep Hooda, top Bollywood actor talking about a Dalit woman, who has been the voice of the oppressed (sic)," it added.
Information
CPI-ML leader has also criticized Randeep
CPI-ML Politburo leader Kavita Krishnan also weighed in on the video, describing Randeep's comments as "casteist, misogynist." The video has attracted hundreds of comments on social media with many criticizing and asking the actor to apologize.
Twitter Post
Here is the controversial video
Not a "joke" @RandeepHooda . You notice no one makes "jokes" saying a male politician is too ugly to f***? You are doing what casteist, misogynist, insecure turds do when confronted with women whose strength they fear: attack the woman as unattractive. https://t.co/F4WsmDLbCw
— Kavita Krishnan (@kavita_krishnan) May 25, 2021
Apology
Twitter users demand unconditional apology from Randeep
Another user said that she was appalled after watching the clip, whereas another described his joke as in very poor taste. "He wasn't a teenager when he cracked it. The only acceptable way to move forward is an unconditional apology without any explanation and gaslighting. Anything less is a waste of time," the Twitter user tweeted.
Information
Recently, two female actors were seen using casteist slur
Recently, actors Yuvika Chaudhary and Munmun Dutta received flak on social media for using casteist slurs in their videos. Munmun was also booked by police in Hansi, Haryana, and Indore, Madhya Pradesh for the same.