A joke at an awards show has unexpectedly stirred debate in the film industry. Comedian Zakir Khan recently spoke about the success of Dhurandhar: The Revenge and his remarks didn’t go well with everyone.
While addressing the audience, Zakir Khan praised the film’s massive popularity but added a humorous twist. He suggested that despite public appreciation, many in the industry might secretly feel jealous of the film’s success. He also made a playful comment comparing events in Lyari to reactions in Mumbai’s Bandra and Juhu areas, implying that the film had created quite a buzz everywhere.
However, not everyone took the joke lightly. Filmmaker Siddharth Anand appeared to respond strongly, even though he did not directly mention Zakir Khan. Defending the contribution of people from the Bandra-Juhu belt, Siddharth emphasised that this group has been responsible for delivering some of Bollywood’s biggest hits over the past 50 years.
He added that only a duffer would dismiss the impact of people from Juhu-Bandra belt in Bollywood. He tweeted, “Juhu – Bandra peeps have given all ATBB’s since the past 50 years. You have to be a real duffer to undermine their contribution.”
https://x.com/justSidAnand/status/2041479962218430524
The situation didn’t stop there. Actress Ameesha Patel also shared her thoughts, calling out the negativity in Zakir Khan’s statement. She highlighted that the film industry has always appreciated successful projects like Dhurandhar: The Revenge. Ameesha further pointed out that top stars such as Shah Rukh Khan, Salman Khan, Sunny Deol, Hrithik Roshan and Ajay Devgn have consistently delivered multiple blockbuster films over the years and will continue to do so.
What started as a humorous take quickly turned into a larger conversation about respect and recognition within the industry. While Zakir Khan’s comment may have been intended as light-hearted, it clearly touched a nerve among some members of Bollywood.
The incident shows how even jokes can be interpreted differently, especially when it comes to an industry as passionate and competitive as cinema.
