What you need to know:
- An old video of retired cricketer Rahul Dravid surfaced online, tweeps quickly turned it into a lesson for Hardik Pandya.
- Pandya recently appeared on a celebrity talk show where he made sexist comments against women.
- Online users are furious at his behavior and the BCCI has taken action against him.
Dubai: A video of retired Indian batsman Rahul Dravid getting pranked went viral on Friday. The clip from the MTV India’s prank show titled Bakra reappeared online for an unusual reason.
The video clip from several years ago featured actress Sayali Bhagat pretending to be a journalist from Malaysia. She interviews Dravid about his career and feelings about fame. The video then jump cuts to the end of the interview. Bhagat pretends to tell the cameras to go off record, and starts talking to Dravid informally. She tells the cricketer: “I have been a fan of yours for many days... My real reason coming from Malaysia was to meet you... I have been to your school ...I sat in your classroom.”
She proceeds to talk about her interest in him to an increasingly uncomfortable Dravid, and pops the question: “Rahul, will you marry me?”
Dravid, flustered by the request, attempts to back away and leave the room, saying “Are you mad or what? [sic]”
A middle-aged man named ‘Babuji’ then enters the room and tries to convince Dravid on the girl’s behalf to marry her. Further shocked, Dravid tries to leave. Pressed to remain however, he regains his composure and attempts to have a collected conversation with the girl and Babuji. When he learns that the girl is 20 years old, he proceeds to tell her that she should be focusing on her studies rather than marriage at her age.
@FlawedSenorita tweeted the video and posted: “The Hardik Pandya incident reminded me of a young Rahul Dravid who was bullied on MTV Bakra and how well he responded to it. You always can set the right example if you have it in you. Must watch!”
Many social media users contrasted Dravid’s behaviour in the video with that of Pandya, who was recently called out on his inappropriate sexist comments in an episode of Indian television show, Koffee with Karan.
Tweep @somsirsa wrote: “Hardik Pandya should watch the old ‘Bakra’ video of Dravid gracefully responding to a woman’s proposal.”
@sarangthacker tweeted: “Today’s generation does not have the basic courtesy. Dravid was, and remains, the tallest benchmark when it comes to ethics, principles and integrity.”
Social media user @anand1509 tweeted: “To think these guys [Hardik Pandya and K. L. Rahul] are today’s role models. Compare it with how Dravid handled himself at a similar age with hidden cameras.”
The video was among a number of social media posts on January 11 dedicated to ‘#TheWall’, a fan nickname for Dravid, as he celebrated his 46th birthday.
Meanwhile, things keep getting worse for Pandya who might miss out on a big endorsement deal. According to reports, a top fitness brand has lost interest in the cricketer.
In a report by Indian newspaper Hindustan Times, Indian cricket captain Virat Kohli has condemned comments made by Pandya and Rahul. He said: “We as the Indian cricket team and responsible cricketers don’t align with those views, those were individual opinions”.
Another cricketer to distance himself from the cricketers is Harbjahan Singh. In an interview with the news magazine India Today, he said: “Look, the punishment could be a two-match or a three-match ban. That will not change anything. Their reputation was at stake, they have lost the trust of their teammates. If he comes and stands next to you at a party, would you like to stand next to him? I will not travel with these two guys in the same bus because if my daughter, if my wife is travelling in the team bus... how would they feel? You are looking at women in only one angle? That’s not right.”
