The Great Indian Kapil Show: Kapil Sharma Faces Backlash For 'Racist' Joke On Filmmaker Atlee

Comedian Kapil Sharma has come under fire for making a joke about filmmaker Atlee's physical appearance on his show, The Great Indian Kapil Show.

Filmmaker Atlee appeared on 'The Great Indian Kapil Show' with Varun Dhawan, Wamiqa Gabbi and Keerthy Suresh.

Source : Screengrab from YouTube

New Delhi: ‘The Great Indian Kapil Show’ recently featured filmmaker Atlee and the cast of his next film ‘Baby John’, which includes Varun Dhawan, Wamiqa Gabbi, and Keerthy Suresh. However, a seemingly harmless interaction between the filmmaker and host Kapil Sharma soon became the centre of controversy.

Kapil commented on Atlee's look in the episode and asked the director, "Has it ever happened that you went to meet a star and they didn't recognise you? Many viewers found the comment offensive since it looked to make fun of Atlee's physical looks. 

But Atlee handled the situation very well, transforming a difficult situation into a tremendous message. He said,  "Sir, in a way I understood your question. I'll try to answer. I am very thankful to AR Murugadoss sir because he produced my first film. He asked for the script, but he didn't see how I am looking and whether I am capable of it or not, but he loved my narration."

He also added, “I think world should see that. We should not judge by appearance. You have to judge by your heart."

Kapil Sharma subtly insults Atlee's looks?

Atlee responds like a boss: Don't judge by appearance, judge by the heart.#Atlee #KapilSharma pic.twitter.com/oSzU0pRDS4

— Surajit (@surajit_ghosh2) December 15, 2024

Somehow, that particular episode clip has managed to become popular online.

Netizens Slam Kapil Sharma

Kapil Sharma's joke instantly gained condemnation, with many social media users labelling it as "racist" and "body-shaming," despite Atlee's composed answer. 

A person commented, "Kapil Sharma enjoys making fun of people as if he himself is perfect," while another user added, “Atlee responded appropriately. Kapil usually crosses his limits”. 

Some of Kapil Sharma's supporters defended him by saying that Atlee misinterpreted the humour. One admirer remarked, "Where’s the insult?"

One fan also wrote, "Kapil showed immense respect to Atlee throughout the episode, and it was genuine. This is a misinterpretation of the situation."