He rode a bike off a cliff, fought on a moving train, hung from a plane, and now, Hollywood superstar Tom Cruise has proved he can speak in Hindi as well.
In an interview with Canadian news outlet ETalk, the actor was praised by the journalist for fluency in various languages in his movies, especially the Mission: Impossible franchise.
"Is there anything you cannot do? Is he going to speak in Hindi with me?" asked the Indian-origin journalist.
Cruise was more than willing to test his Hindi speaking skills as he said, "If you want me to speak in Hindi with you, I will. Let's try it."
The journalist then asked the Hollywood superstar to say, "Namaste. Aap kaise hain?' (Namaste, how are you?)".
Much to the fans' delight, Cruise aced the pronunciation on the first attempt as he repeated the sentence with folded hands.
The clip from the interview, which was part of the promotional campaign for Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One, has gone viral on social media.
Many Indian fans of the 61-year-old actor found his attempt "cute".
"He is so cute while speaking ‘namaste aap kaise ho’ & Is there anything he can't do," a user said on Twitter.
"Tom Cruise wins the hearts of all Indians with his Hindi. His humility is on another level. God Bless him," another user said.
"Wow.... He spoke Hindi very well," read a post.
Another fan wrote, "He said Namaste on his own, shows how aware he is of India and Indian fans."
Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One, directed by Christopher McQuarrie, is the seventh installment of Cruise's long-running spy franchise Mission: Impossible.
The movie also features Hayley Atwell, Pom Klementieff, Ving Rhames, Simon Pegg, Rebecca Ferguson, Vanessa Kirby and Henry Czerny.
Presented by Paramount Pictures and Skydance, the film will be released in theatres in India on July 12.
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.