Netflix’s South Korean survival drama Squid Game has been watched by a whopping 111 million users in its first 28 days, dethroning Bridgerton (82 million) off the top spot. The earth-shattering global success of the nine-episode series has changed the life of every actor on the cast.
Indian actor Anupam Tripathi, who plays the soft-spoken and trusting migrant worker Ali Abdul, is also basking in the huge success of Squid Game. He remembers the brief given by director Hwang Dong-hyuk after he bagged the role of Ali, a Pakistani factory labourer, who like the other 455 participants, ends up being part of the deadly games after his employer refuses to pay him for months.
“The director's brief was (to focus on) how he builds his relationships with people. He is someone who saves people. Even if he had a problem, he worked for people he trusted. With a simple gesture, somebody can make him feel ‘you are my homie and all’,” the actor told PTI in a roundtable interview on Zoom from Seoul.
To look the part, New Delhi-born Tripathi said he worked hard on his physique and gained 6 kg. Ali gets a very unlikely but heroic scene right towards the end of the first episode of the nine-part series, when he saves co-contestant Seong Gi-hun, played by South Korean star Lee Jung-jae. Tripathi said that sets the tone for his character in the show.
“I had to run and jump around, those takes were very fascinating for me. They took all the energy out of me. I never felt like it was a heroic entry but after watching it people are telling me ‘Man, you’re good!'... It’s people’s love,” he added.
The actor, who moved to South Korea in 2010 to attend the Korea National University of Arts (K Arts), said the character of Ali is “iconic” in a way as it offers a peek into cultures and issues. Tripathi said the scene where he saves Seong Gi-hun was also close to his heart as that was where he met Lee, who gave him the confidence to “play around” during the performance in his own way.
“I was holding him and he said to me 'Just do the way you want to do, be free, don't worry about anything',” he added.
Squid Game also gave the actor a chance to move on from minor, often nameless migrant roles to a character that had a name and an arc, a rarity in Korean dramas for non-Korean people. His previous works include hit TV shows like Descendants of the Sun, Hospital Playlist and Taxi Driver and films Space Sweepers and Ode to My Father, which was remade in Hindi as Bharat.
Following five years of doing theatre in Delhi, he won an Arts Major Asian scholarship to study acting at the K Arts, which he credits for giving him the confidence to show his craft. Learning Korean was initially a challenge, but the actor said he went "step by step" to pursue his acting dream.
"I spent three-and-half months learning the language. Since the base was in English, I thought I could easily cope with everything. But when you enter the university properly and those terms in acting in Korean (come up), you just keep your eyes open for two years. Grammatically, I might be wrong in Korean but I can now perform better with the feeling of the language," he said.
A scene from The Thursday Murder Club, where four retirees turn amateur detectives in a quiet British village shaken by a real murderInstagram/NetflixUK
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.