Mumbai, April 7 Superstar Salman Khan on Tuesday came out in support of Rajpal Yadav after a joke about the comedian's financial troubles during an awards ceremony sparked a media storm.
Yadav attended the Chetak Screen Awards on Sunday night, where host Saurabh Dwivedi made a remark about the actor's case involving a bounced cheque worth Rs 9 crore, which led to his brief imprisonment. The clip of the exchange has since gone viral on social media.
Khan tagged Rajpal's official handle and said the veteran actor had been working in the industry for nearly 30 years and had repeatedly been sought out by filmmakers because of the value he brings to his craft.
"You will keep getting work, and at that dollar rate. That's the reality," he wrote.
"And remember that sometimes things are said in the moment. If you have to give (back), keep it in mind and work from the heart. Whether the dollar goes up or down, how does it matter, the payment is happening in India only," he added.
Yadav, who appeared alongside Khan in films such as "Mujhse Shaadi Karogi" and "Partner", was jailed in February after the Delhi High Court rejected his plea for more time in a cheque bounce case linked to a Rs 5 crore loan, which now stands at Rs 9 crore, for his 2012 film “Ata Pata Laapata”. He spent nearly 13 days in Tihar Jail before getting interim bail.
At the awards ceremony, which was co-hosted by Dwivedi and comedian Zakir Khan, Yadav spoke about the ongoing oil crisis due to the US-Israel's war on Iran and how it has led to global currency fluctuations.
To this, Dwivedi remarked, "Rajpal bhai, no matter what happens to the dollar-rupee, you will have to return every penny you owe.”
The actor brushed off the comment with a smile and said, "I just want to hear what you have to say."
While Yadav was praised on social media for handling the situation with grace, Dwivedi faced criticism for his remark.
Yadav, however, came out in Dwivedi's defence and asked people to not criticize the journalist.
"Saurabh and Zakir are like my younger brothers. They have always given me respect. They are our pride. We, artists, journalists and storytellers are always connected. And Saurabh made everyone in the auditorium to stand up and clap for me."
"Don't criticize him or write anything bad about him... don't hurt his heart. Hurting him is equal to hurting my heart. If you write anything bad about Saurabh, then I will feel hurt. I love Saurabh, I love Zakir and I love you all," the actor said in a video on X.