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Emraan Hashmi says he ‘had to bear the brunt’ for calling Aishwarya Rai ‘plastic’: ‘I called a spade a spade’

Among the many remarks he passed while taking part in Koffee with Karan season four, one statement Emraan Hashmi made about global icon Aishwarya Rai Bachchan earned him the most backlash.

By: Entertainment Desk
Kochi | February 23, 2024 12:12 PM IST

3 min read

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During the rapid-fire round on Koffee with Karan season four, Emraan Hashmi was asked to name the actor who came to his mind when he heard the word plastic, and Hashmi replied Aishwarya Rai. (Images: Emraan Hashmi, Aishwarya Rai/Facebook)

After portraying a ruthless villain in Maneesh Sharma’s Tiger 3, Bollywood star Emraan Hashmi is now gearing up to venture back into the world of web series with Showtime, created by Sumit Roy.

Once celebrated as the poster boy of ‘serial-kissing’ in B-Town, Hashmi is now on a different path, trying his hand at varied genres, and his film choices in the past five years underscore the same.

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However, this was not the only thing Hashmi was famous for, or rather infamous. His outspoken nature also raised many eyebrows, and the ninth episode in season four of filmmaker Karan Johar’s chat show Koffee with Karan, featuring Hashmi and director-producer Mahesh Bhatt, stands as a testament to this, as both guests went on a rampage making controversial statements.

Among the many remarks they passed, one statement Hashmi made about global icon Aishwarya Rai Bachchan earned him the most backlash. During the rapid-fire round, Hashmi was asked to name the actor who came to his mind when he heard the word plastic, and Hashmi replied, “Aishwarya (Rai)”.

Watch Showtime trailer here:

Hashmi recently commented on the entire fiasco and noted that he had to bear its brunt for quite some time. When asked during a chat with Bollywood Bubble if his character in Showtime was similar to how the actor was during his 2014 KWK episode, Hashmi said, “I am playing a fictional character here (‘Showtime’), who calls a spade a spade.”

“Talking about Koffee With Karan, 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’.”

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Following the episode, Hashmi clarified his remarks during an interview with Hindustan Times. “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,” he said.

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Bankrolled by Dharma Productions Showtime also stars Naseeruddin Shah, Mahima Makwana and Mouni Roy in key roles and will premiere on March 8.

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