Bollywood actor Anupam Kher has bagged a BAFTA nomination for his work in The Boy with the Topknot. The actor has been nominated in the Best Supporting Actor category along with Brian F. O'Byrne (Little Boy Blue), Jimmi Simpson- USS Callister (Black Mirror) and Adrian Dunbar (Line Of Duty).
Taking to Twitter, Kher wrote: “Thank you Bafta for the nomination. I feel honoured and humbled.”
Wishes poured in for the veteran actor shortly after BAFTA’s announcement. Congratulating Kher, fellow actor Anil Kapoor wrote, “Congratulations !sir Anupam Kherji .. your friend from Juhu India is very proud of you ..”. In reply to his tweet, Kher wrote, “Mere Pyare Juhu ke dost. Thank you so much. Love.”
Actor-comedian Vir Das also took to the microblogging site to congratulate the thespian. “Congratulations to @AnupamPKher for the BAFTA nomination! It’s a very big deal and you make us very proud sir!” he wrote.
The Boy with the Topknot is a drama based on the critically acclaimed memoirs of British journalist Sathnam Sanghera. Kher essayed the role of Sathnam's father Jagjit, someone who had been living with schizophrenia. The story follows a British Sikh family’s struggle with mental illness.
Sanghera is happy his memoir became a movie as it would aid in getting rid of the stigma around mental illness. However, he is also aware that in some communities the change is happening more slowly.
“Loads of people have family with schizophrenia and they don’t talk about it for several reasons – the symptoms are often very difficult, sometimes there is violence, and there is serious shame with that," he told The Guardian last year. "But in the Indian community, you’ve got the superstition – this idea of black magic. That’s still really prevalent.” After his book came out, he was criticised by people who told him he had brought shame on the community."
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Stills from Andaz Apna Apna
Stills from Andaz Apna Apna
Vinay Kumar Sinha
Rahul’s casual dismissal of that controversy has added fuel to the fire
Rahul Bhatt sparks controversy over 'insensitive' remarks about sisters Alia and Pooja Bhatt
Rahul Bhatt, fitness trainer and son of veteran filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt, has found himself at the centre of a social media storm following controversial remarks about his half-sister, Alia Bhatt. In a recent interview, Rahul drew comparisons between Alia and their older sister Pooja Bhatt, calling the latter more talented, attractive, and principled.
The comments, which many have labelled inappropriate and insensitive, have sparked widespread criticism online. During the interview, Rahul stated, “In my opinion, she (Alia) is not even half of what my real sister Pooja is. Not in talent, not in looks, not in terms of being sexy. In front of my sister, she is ‘paani kam chai’ (watery tea). Amongst the siblings, the most talented and the most moralistic is Pooja.”
Social media users reacted strongly, questioning why Rahul would compare his sisters in such personal terms. Several users were particularly disturbed by his reference to their appearance and sex appeal, pointing out that such comparisons within a family cross boundaries of propriety. One comment read, “This is disturbing. Why talk about your sisters like that? It’s not just weird, it’s wrong.” Another post said, “There’s nothing respectful about comparing your siblings’ attractiveness in public.”
The backlash also reignited conversation around a decades-old controversy involving Mahesh Bhatt and Pooja Bhatt. Rahul was asked about the infamous 1990s magazine cover where the father-daughter duo shared a kiss, which had stirred public outrage at the time. Dismissing the criticism, Rahul said, “It doesn’t make any difference. It’s like water off a duck’s back. We know the truth, and we’ve seen everything since childhood.”
Rahul’s casual dismissal of that controversy has added fuel to the fire, with critics saying it reflects a broader issue of the Bhatt family being insensitive to public perception and boundaries. Many users questioned the need for bringing up old incidents in a bid to defend new and equally questionable statements.
As of now, neither Alia Bhatt nor Pooja Bhatt has issued any public response to Rahul’s remarks. Both actors, known for their significant contributions to Indian cinema, have typically kept family matters private despite living in the public eye.
This episode has also sparked debate over the role of public figures in maintaining respect when discussing family matters in the media. Observers say such comments, especially when involving women’s appearance and personal qualities, reinforce problematic attitudes and fuel unnecessary controversies.
While Rahul Bhatt is not as prominent in the entertainment industry as his father or sisters, his comments have made headlines and placed the Bhatt family in the spotlight for reasons beyond their creative work. For many, this serves as a reminder that public platforms come with responsibility, and that family ties should not be trivialised or dissected for attention or comparison.
The backlash is unlikely to subside soon, especially as fans and followers of Alia and Pooja continue to express disappointment over the way the situation has unfolded. Whether or not Rahul chooses to clarify or apologise remains to be seen.