Indian icon Shah Rukh Khan, who has worked with South Indian directors like Atlee in his recent blockbuster 'Jawaan', has come under fire for allegedy introducing Ram charan in a derogatory manner at the pre-wedding party of Anant Ambani and Radhika Merchant.
In the video that's now circulating online, Khan was heard and seen introducing Ram Charan as 'Idly Vada Ram Charan', alluding to the South Indian breakfast items.
But the distasteful remark hasn't gone down too well with many considering it "insensitive" and "tone-deaf". And it was Ram Charan's make-up artist Zeba Hassan who first claimed she was disappointed that a star of such stature had introduced a major South Indian star in such a derogatory manner.
In the video, posted by Hassan on Insta stories, she called Khan's description of her star-client 'disrespectful'. She also claimed that she walked out of the event as soon as she heard Khan calling Ram Charan with those pre-fixes.
"... Idly vada Ram Charan kahan hai tu?? I walked out after this. So disrespectful for a star like @alwaysramcharan," she wrote.
She chronicled her thoughts in a statement, published by Free Press Journal.
"It's funny how everyone wants to pay us "lesser" because we are from South India where as they are OK to pay triple the amount for the same thing to an artist if that artist is Delhi or Mumbai based," said Hassan.
Khan along with Salman Khan and Aamir Khan were trying to do the hook step from Ram Charan-starrer 'RRR''s mega hit son 'Naatu Naatu'. Khan, who is known for his charm and wit, began speaking in a few words in Telugu and then went onto call him 'Idly Vada Ram charan'. The Telugu words didn't make much sense, but the words idly vada Ram Charan were coherent.
"Ram Charan, kaha hain tu [where are you]. We need you here ... [Gibberish in Telugu] ...Saukyam aa [are you fine]. Idly vada, Ram Charan, come here," announced Khan on the micro-phone.
Charan joined in and shook a leg with the three Khan and did not respond to the alleged slight, but a large section of the social media users aren't happy calling Khan, a racist.
A user wrote, "As a South Indian I feel very anguished on SRK for calling Ram Charan Sir by racist way.". Others felt that calling a South Indian talent 'idli vada' isn't funny by any definition.
Bollywood has always come under fire for stereotyping South Indians as the ones who eat maggi noodles with curd.
Khan in Ra.One had acted out a similar scene, and that had not gone down well with many viewers who felt it was a reductive representation of the South Indian community.
While Khan is being blasted, the actor has found some support among his ardent fans.
They claim the 'Don' actor was merely mouthing the dialogues from one of his films 'One 2 Ka 4'.
Celebrities from around the words, heads of state, sports personlities, and pop icons like Rihanna have flown down to Jamnagar to attend the lavish pre-wedding nuptials of Anant Ambani and Radhika Merchant.
