'Don't spread hate': Kapil Sharma breaks silence on racism allegations after Atlee show

Famous comedian Kapil Sharma is no stranger to controversy, but his recent comment about South Indian filmmaker Atlee Kumar have sparked an intense online debate. Did he cross the line, or was it all just a misunderstanding?

 The incident occurred during a segment of The Great Indian Kapil Sharma Show, where Atlee and the cast of his upcoming film Baby John appeared as guests. 

A clip from the show went viral, with viewers accusing Kapil of making racist comments. In the clip, Kapil asked Atlee, “You became such a big producer and director at such a young age. Has there ever been a time when you met a star for the first time, and they didn’t recognize you, asking, ‘Where is Atlee?’”

Kapil Sharma's comment sparked an unexpected response from Atlee, who addressed the issue with grace. 

“I am thankful to AR Murugadoss sir because he believed in my script, not in how I looked or whether I was capable. He loved my narration. The world should learn to judge by heart, not appearances,” Atlee said. 

A user name Surajit on X (formerly Twitter) posted the clip from the segment and wrote, “Kapil Sharma subtly insults Atlee's looks? Atlee responds like a boss: Don't judge by appearance, judge by the heart.”

In response to the backlash, Kapil took to social media to clarify his position.  

He posted a message on X (formerly Twitter), asking, “Dear sir, can you pls explain me where n when I talked about looks in this video ? pls don’t spread hate on social media 🙏 thank you. (guys watch n decide by yourself, don’t follow any body’s tweet like a sheep)”
Kapil's reaction caused more debate. Some people defended him, saying he didn’t mean to hurt anyone, while others thought the joke was insensitive. The controversy continues as people wait for Atlee’s response. 

Earlier, Indian cricketer and cast member of The Kapil Sharma Show, Navjot Singh Sidhu, has made a unique condition for rejoining The Great Indian Kapil Show that now streams on Netflix.

In the episode of the show that aired on the digital streaming platform last Saturday, Sidhu appeared as a guest along with former Indian cricketer Harbhajan Singh.

While the show has now been shifted from TV as a new Netflix production, Sidhu’s return came after five years since he last appeared alongside other cast members and host Kapil Sharma on the hit comedy show.

“This day will be the most wonderful and memorable day of my life,” he said at the end of the episode, expressing his desire to return to the show.

"I want things to be like before when all of us were together like a beautiful bouquet. I hope we can come together again, but this time with Archana Singh as well," Sidhu said, adding that he would come back on the condition that Archana continued to be a part of the show.