Emraan Hashmi Says He Had 'To Bear The Brunt' For Quite Some Time For Calling Aishwarya Rai 'Plastic'

Recalling the aftermath of his infamous comment on KWK, where he referred to Aishwarya Rai as 'plastic,' Emraan Hashmi shared behind-the-scenes reactions during the rapid-fire round of the show.

Emraan Hashmi shared behind-the-scenes reactions during the rapid-fire round of Koffee With Karan.

New Delhi: Bollywood actor Emraan Hashmi, who was last seen in Salman Khan’s 'Tiger 3', is currently busy promoting his upcoming OTT show, ‘Showtime’. In a recent interview with Bollywood Bubble, Emraan was questioned about the resemblance between his character in the web series, produced by Karan Johar, and his persona during a controversial episode of Koffee With Karan (KWK) season 4 in 2014. 

Recalling the aftermath of his infamous comment on KWK, where he referred to Aishwarya Rai as 'plastic,' Emraan shared behind-the-scenes reactions during the rapid-fire round of the celebrity chat show. 

"I am playing a fictional character here (Showtime), who calls a spade a spade. Talking about that show (Koffee With Karan) that you spoke about right now, well, I had to bear the brunt for it for quite some time for really calling a spade a spade. You know what, when that rapid fire round happened, Karan had cut the shot, and he just looked around on the set and everyone was dumbfounded. He asked 'Can you actually keep this (Emraan's answer)?' And a couple of people behind the camera said 'Yes'," Emraan explained. 

Emraan Hashmi's appearance on Koffee With Karan in 2014 stirred headlines due to his candid remarks. During the rapid-fire round, when asked to associate an actor with the word 'plastic,' Emraan spontaneously responded with 'Aishwarya (Rai).' The comment generated considerable controversy, lingering with the actor for an extended period. 

Reflecting on the statement in a 2014 interview with Hindustan Times, Emraan clarified, “I didn’t mean it. I’m a big fan of Aishwarya. It’s the format of the show. I can't not say things and not win the hamper. I love her. I have always been a great admirer of her work. I knew people would make a big deal out of it… so what, people make a big deal out of nonsense all the time.” 

Produced by Dharma Productions, ‘Showtime’ also stars Mahima Makwana, Mouni Roy and Naseeruddin Shah. It will premiere on Disney Plus Hotstar on March 8.