Bollywood star Salman Khan on Tuesday came out in support of Rajpal Yadav after the comedian became the subject of a joke for his recent financial troubles during an awards ceremony.
On Sunday, Yadav attended the Chetak Screen Awards, where Saurabh Dwivedi referred to the actor’s Rs 9 crore cheque bounce case, which had led him to Tihar jail for a while. The video is currently doing the rounds on social media and has stirred up a media frenzy.
Writing that the veteran actor and comedian has been working in the industry for nearly 30 years, Salman said that Yadav has been repeatedly approached by filmmakers because of his comedic prowess.
"Kaam toh aapko bohot milega aur issi dollar rate pe milega aur milte rahega. Hakikat yeh hai (You’ll get plenty of work—and at this same dollar rate—and it will keep coming. That’s the reality)," Salman wrote in his note on X.
"Aur yeh yaad rakhna ke kabhi kabhi flow mai kuch nikal aata hai, dena hi hai toh dimag mai rakho dil se kaam karo, dollar upar ho ya neeche kya farak padta hai dena toh India mai hi hai @rajpalofficial (And remember, sometimes things just slip out in the flow. If you have to give (charge), keep it in mind but work from the heart. Whether the dollar goes up or down, what difference does it make? In the end, you’re earning and spending in India)," he added.
In February, Yadav was sent to Tihar Jail after the Delhi High Court rejected his plea seeking additional time to repay outstanding dues in a Rs 9 crore cheque bounce case, which stemmed from him borrowing money from a private firm to produce a film.
At the awards ceremony, Yadav spoke about the LPG crisis due to the ongoing US-Israel vs Iran war and how it has affected global currency.
In his response, Dwivedi said, "Rajpal bhai, dollar-rupya kitna bhi upar neeche ho, aapko utne hi paise lautane padenge jitne udhaar hain (Rajpal bhai, no matter how much the dollar–rupee rate goes up or down, you’ll still have to repay exactly the amount you borrowed).”
To make light of the situation, Yadav said, "Masla toh sun lo ek baar. Main toh masla hi sunana chahta hoon (At least listen to the issue once. I just want to tell you what the problem is)."
Dwivedi, who hosted the show with comedian Zakir Khan, has been facing criticism for his remark. Netizens are praising Yadav for his graceful handling of the situation.
Yadav, however, urged everyone to not criticise Dwivedi. "Saurabh and Zakir are like my younger brothers. They have always given me respect. They are our pride. We, artists, journalists and storytellers are always connected to each other. And Saurabh made everyone in the auditorium to stand up and clap for me,” he said in a video on X.
"Don't criticise him or write anything bad about him... don't hurt his heart. Hurting him is equal to hurting my heart. If you write anything bad about Saurabh, then I will feel hurt. I love Saurabh, I love Zakir and I love you all," he added.