Filmmaker Atlee Kumar recently appeared on The Great Indian Kapil Show to promote his latest production venture, Baby John. However, his appearance stirred controversy when a section of social media users accused host Kapil Sharma of making subtle remarks about Atlee’s appearance. The interaction went viral after a user shared the video on X (formerly Twitter), commenting, “Kapil Sharma subtly insults Atlee’s looks? Atlee responds like a boss: Don’t judge by appearance, judge by the heart.”
The video captures Kapil Sharma asking Atlee, “Atlee sir, actually you are so young. Aur aap itne bade producer, director ban gaye hain. Kabhi aapke saath aisa hua hai ki aap kisi star se milne gaye first time aur usko laga hi naa ho aap Atlee ho. Usne kaha ‘where is Atlee?’” (You are so young, yet you’ve become such a big producer and director. Has it ever happened that you went to meet a star for the first time, and they didn’t recognize you?)
In response, Atlee offered a gracious reply, saying, “I’m actually very thankful to AR Murugadoss sir. Because he produced my first film. He asked for a script, but he didn’t see how I’m looking, and whether I’m capable of it or not. But he loved my narration. I think the world should see that. By appearance, we should not judge, by heart you have to judge.”
Following backlash, Kapil Sharma directly addressed the accusations on social media. Reacting to the viral post, he wrote, “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 anybody’s tweet like a sheep).” Sharma firmly denied the claims, urging viewers to watch the video and form their own opinions.
The controversy highlights the fine line between humor and misinterpretation on social media, where snippets of interactions are often judged out of context. Joining Atlee on the episode were Baby John actors Varun Dhawan, Wamiqa Gabbi, and Keerthy Suresh.
Atlee, who made his directorial debut with the 2013 Tamil hit Raja Rani, has since become a celebrated filmmaker with blockbusters like Theri, Mersal, Bigil, and the recent Shah Rukh Khan-starrer Jawan. Despite the controversy, his response reinforced the value of talent and hard work over external perceptions.
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). https://t.co/PdsxTo8xjg
— Kapil Sharma (@KapilSharmaK9) December 17, 2024