Renowned filmmaker Hansal Mehta has weighed in on a recent incident involving a fan of actor Nagarjuna, who was pushed by the actor's bodyguard. The incident gained widespread attention after a video of the episode went viral. The video was shared by Mehta's son, Jai Mehta, who highlighted the mistreatment of the fan, pointing out that the individual appeared to be specially abled. Jai related this to his own experience, revealing that his brother, Pallava, who has Down syndrome had faced similar difficulties in meeting his favorite stars despite numerous attempts. Hansal Mehta also shared that his son Pallava was not able to meet his favourite star despite multiple requests.
Jai Mehta on Nagarjuna fan incident
Jai Mehta tweeted, “I’d like to point out (I could be wrong. But I don’t think I am) that the gentleman asking for the ‘star’s attention seems to be specially abled. Do they actually think a staff member/employee at an airport who must be witnessing celebrities walk in and out of that very same arrivals gate at least 100 times a day would just barge into their personal space and nudge them for a look? The answer is NO! That man is clearly handicapped. Please correct me if I’m wrong. I highly doubt I am. In fact, I have a feeling I sat on a chair outside this very outlet last week, waiting for a friend to pick me up from the airport, and noticed this specially abled person.”
Jai further criticised the behaviour of the security personnel and the celebrities' lack of empathy, writing, “The security guards ought to be educated on how to control a crowd better and more respectfully. Celebrities/Politicians/Sportsmen need to start being a little less self-obsessed and a little more giving. Don’t get me wrong here. I love this actor, I’ve always loved him. But I hate that he didn’t even bother to look at the person that walked into him and didn’t even bother to look back at the person that got shoved away from him by his security guard! The only reason all the biggies in the world are big is because ‘inconsequential’ people like this little chap give you that respect, adulation, and admiration. If it weren’t for them, you’d be a nobody!”
In his post, Jai also mentioned his brother Pallava’s admiration for Bollywood superstars Shah Rukh Khan and Salman Khan and how their attempts to arrange a meeting had been unsuccessful.
Hansal Mehta on a star ignoring request to meet his son
Hansal Mehta amplified his son’s message by retweeting it and confirming the account of their experiences. He shared that despite repeated efforts to facilitate a meeting between Pallava and his favorite actors, there had been no response from the stars' teams.
He wrote, “True story. So my son Pallava is a fan of this massive star. I’d requested through his brother, his close friends at various times that meeting the star would mean the world to him. And it would be my gift to my boy. When his eyes were operated the first person he recognised in the newspaper was that star. But no. There was no response from the star or his friends. I gave up. Now over the years Pallu’s cognitive abilities have declined. And this will have no meaning even if it has to happen.”
Nagarjuna apologises for the incident
The incident in question occurred at an airport where Nagarjuna’s bodyguard pushed away a cafe staff member who had approached the actor. The push caused the man to stumble and fall, while Nagarjuna continued walking without acknowledging the incident. The video sparked outrage over the insensitive treatment of the specially-abled fan.
In response to the backlash, Nagarjuna took to Twitter to issue an apology. He wrote, “This just came to my notice … this shouldn’t have happened!! I apologise to the gentleman (folded hands emoji) and will take necessary precautions that it will not happen in the future !!”