BBC News uses Amitabh Bachchan and Rishi Kapoor clips for Shashi Kapoor tribute; Twitterati not amused

In a tribute segment on Shashi Kapoor, BBC News used clips of Amitabh Bachchan and Rishi Kapoor instead. A video of the footage has gone viral on social media with people asking for an apology for the gaffe.

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Another case of mistaken identity with respect to veteran actor Shashi Kapoor. (Source: Twitter)

As many tweeted, the death of veteran actor Shashi Kapoor on Monday was like the end of an era. Unfortunately, though, amid the outpour of condolence messages on social media, a typographical error by a news channel Times Now in one of their tweets led to a facepalm moment as Shashi Tharoor, the politician who is also known for his good looks, was named instead of Kapoor, leading to Tharoor’s office phone buzzing with condolence calls. But that wasn’t the only case of mistaken identity that happened on Monday. BBC News also ran a tribute clip on Kapoor, but the snippets accompanying the sombre package were not of Kapoor but his co-actor from Kabhi Kabhi and Deewar, Amitabh Bachchan, and his nephew actor Rishi Kapoor.

The video of the clip being broadcast on television has gone viral on social media with many people now seeking an apology from the news organisation for the gaffe. In the video, a clip of Amitabh Bachchan and Rekha from the film Kabhi Kabhie (in which, to be fair, Shashi Kapoor was the other main character) along with another of Rishi Kapoor singing the song Pyar kar liya to kya from the same film was used.

Watch the video clip here.

Hang on @bbcnews Shashi Kapoor has died not Amitabh Bachan or Rishi Kapoor, who you’ve weirdly used to illustrate the story. pic.twitter.com/48jo6DGjU6

— Media Diversified (@WritersofColour) December 4, 2017

Once the faux pas had been identified on social media, tweeple started tagging BBC and asking them to apologise.

Shocking to note @BBC insults a veteran actor Shashi Kapoor by showing clips of @SrBachchan & @chintskap whilst reporting his death today!!!@BBC must apologize!!! Clearly they have no clue.

RIP Shashi Kapoor ?????? pic.twitter.com/XMT4QJCy53

— GABBAR (@Gabbar_food) December 4, 2017

@paulroyall I hope you now have a photograph of the real Shashi Kapoor? Poor man can’t even rest in peace because the BBC credited another ‘brown person ‘ with his work. #NotTheSame

— Graeme (@Lurganexile) December 4, 2017

Did BBC News at 10 cover the Shashi Kapoor story but just showed footage of Amitabh Bhachan and Rishi Kapoor? I’m no Bollywood expert but that’s what it looked like to me. My sister thought Amitabh had died as well!? ??

— Trishna Bharadia (@TrishnaBharadia) December 4, 2017

I was sitting there thinking “why the hell are they showing classic footage of Amitabh @SrBachchan“….and then realised that the person responsible for obituaries @BBCNews may indeed not be able to tell the difference…

— Katherine Schofield (@katherineschof8) December 4, 2017

#BBCNewsTen is very sorry wrong images were used to mark the death of Shashi Kapoor. Not our usual standards and I apologise for any upset.

— Paul Royall (@paulroyall) December 4, 2017

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Responding to the barrage of upset tweets, Paul Royall, Editor, BBC News at Six and Ten, tweeted out an apology, saying, “#BBCNewsTen is very sorry wrong images were used to mark the death of Shashi Kapoor. Not our usual standards and I apologise for any upset.”

#BBCNewsTen is very sorry wrong images were used to mark the death of Shashi Kapoor. Not our usual standards and I apologise for any upset.

— Paul Royall (@paulroyall) December 4, 2017

As it happens, this was not the first time the BBC group had a goof-up with respect to an Indian celebrity. Last year in September, the BBC News Hindi Twitter handle had confused former Indian batsmen Mohammad Kaif with a man accused in the murder of Hindustan daily’s Siwan bureau chief Rajdev Ranjan. BBC News Hindi tweeted out a link with the headline “Ex-cricketer Kaif surrenders”. Irked by the mix-up, Kaif had written: “You have crossed all limits just for a headline. Doesn’t anyone read otherwise?”

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