Veteran actor Rakesh Bedi, who is currently enjoying the success of Dhurandhar 2, recently spoke about a controversy that surfaced during the film’s trailer launch.
Bedi, who played the role of Jameel Jamali in the film, had faced trolling after a brief moment on stage with co-star Sara Arjun went viral.
A clip circulating online led some users to claim that the 71-year-old actor had kissed the shoulder of the 20-year-old actress, triggering criticism on social media.
In Dhurandhar, Bedi plays a seasoned politician, while Sara Arjun appears as his daughter, Yalina Jamali.
Speaking on a podcast, Bedi clarified that the moment had been misunderstood. He said that he shared a warm and affectionate bond with Sara during the shoot and often greeted her like a daughter.
According to him, hugging her or giving a forehead kiss was simply a gesture of affection and part of a senior actor’s responsibility to make younger actors feel comfortable.
He explained that the same gesture happened during the trailer launch, but it was misinterpreted once the clip went viral.
Bedi added that many people later came forward to support him, saying such claims did not reflect his personality.
Commenting on the backlash, he said that people often look for reasons to talk and create controversy, and public figures are frequently subjected to such scrutiny.
This is not the first time Bedi has addressed the issue. Meanwhile, Dhurandhar 2, released on March 19, has been performing exceptionally well at the box office, crossing the â¹500 crore mark within just five days of its release.