Lagaan actor Aditya Lakhia says ‘surprised’ by controversy over Zomato’s ‘Kachra’ campaign: ‘Initial reviews were positive’

Talking to indianexpress.com, Lakhia said the campaign was meant to inspire in a ‘positive’ way. “It has become a controversy now, what to do? We did it in a positive way, it wasn’t to hurt anybody. Nobody would do that, least of all me because I’ve played the character,” he said.

The actor said the campaign initially received positive feedback. “A lot of my friends liked the ad, because it shows Kachra promoting no plastic and recycling of garbage. Kachra is an iconic character from Lagaan and someone got that angle of caste, but nobody had planned it that way. People took offence so Zomato rightfully pulled it down. It was surprising for me because the initial reviews on Instagram and YouTube were all positive. But I guess some people would find it insensitive. For me, I acted in this thinking it would be positive but… Now that Zomato has pulled it down, I mean fair enough. If anybody is hurt, if a section is hurt, it’s understandable that it’s pulled out.”

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Who is Aditya Lakhia?

Aditya Lakhia made his debut in 1988 with a small role in Vinod Khanna and Hema Malini-starrer Rihaee. But it took him four years to get a breakthrough, when he featured alongside Aamir Khan in Mansoor Khan’s superhit coming-of-age drama Jo Jeeta Wohi Sikandar. As a high school student and one of Aamir’s closest friends in the film, Lakhia got his first moment of recognition.

A year later, he followed it up with Shah Rukh Khan-led romantic comedy Kabhi Haan Kabhi Naa, which has refused to age even after three decades. Consecutive good work ensured Lakhia came to be known as a character actor. Expanding his pursuits, Lakhia worked as an assistant director on Aamir’s Akele Hum Akele Tum, again directed by Mansoor Khan.

The actor made his television debut in 1998 with X Zones, which aired on Zee TV and was an Indian version of American sci-fi series X-Files. Lakhia was later seen on the popular Star Plus horror show, Sshh… Koi Hai, in 2001. The year also proved to be the biggest in the actor’s journey thus far as he starred in Ashutosh Gowariker’s Lagaan, again with Aamir, and as one of the 11 members of the modest cricket team of villagers made a permanent place in people’s hearts.

His character, Kachra, was shown as the underdog in the team, who was ignored by the villagers because of his caste identity. In a turnaround for the character, Kachra’s spin bowling gets a crucial wicket of the English team, helping the Indian side in the game. While the said moment evoked a sense of joy and triumph in some people, there were sections who criticised the film for a regressive, upper-caste gaze at the character and his Dalit identity.

As for Aditya Lakhia, he went on to star in Humraaz, Kuch Meetha Ho Jaye, Mumbai se Aaya Mera Dost and Shootout at Lokhandwala (2007), which turned out to be his first hit after Lagaan. He also appeared in a few television shows like the popular Colors drama Agle Janam Mohe Bitiya Hi Kijo (2009-2011) and Chhoti Bahu season two (2011).

The same year he starred in Amol Gupte’s critically acclaimed film Stanley Ka Dabba. For the next eight years, Lakhia remained away from the screen. In 2019, he made a comeback with the forgettable The Sholay Girl. He was last seen in Amyra Dastur-starrer Koi Jaane Na in 2021.