Popular comedian and host Bharti Singh has found herself at the centre of a social media storm following an episode of the show Laughter Chefs. The controversy erupted after she made a remark about the physical appearance of actress Ayesha Khan, which many viewers interpreted as body-shaming.
The Incident That Sparked the Backlash
The incident occurred when the cast of the film Kis Kisko Pyaar Karoon, including actresses Warina Hussain, Ayesha Khan, Tridha Choudhury, and Parul Gulati, visited the show for promotion alongside Kapil Sharma. After a dance performance to the film's song Pahli Uddi Furrr, Bharti Singh made a comment directed at Ayesha Khan.
She stated, "Jab saari heroine aayi na, mujhe Ayesha ko dekh ke laga, Krushna phir se aa gaya, kyunki uski tarah lambi hai na (After seeing Ayesha, I thought Krushna returned because she is tall like Krushna)." Fellow host Kapil Sharma quickly interjected, asking if it was meant as a compliment. Parul Gulati immediately corrected Bharti, saying "Ye Nahi bolna tha (You shouldn't have said this)," to which Bharti replied, "Sorry, I am pregnant."
While Ayesha Khan appeared momentarily taken aback, she reportedly handled the situation with grace. However, the clip soon went viral, leading to significant criticism of Bharti Singh on social media platforms.
Harpal Singh Sokhi's Defence of Bharti Singh
Celebrity chef Harpal Singh Sokhi, who was present on the set during the incident, has now shared his perspective. In a conversation with HindiRush, Sokhi expressed surprise at the magnitude of the reaction.
"When all this happened and the clip went viral, I honestly had no idea about it at that time. I only understood what people were talking about after the video started circulating online," he said. "I was standing right next to them when the conversation was happening, but it didn’t strike me even once that it would turn into something like this."
Defending Bharti Singh's intentions, Sokhi emphasised the spontaneous nature of the comment. "When things are said spontaneously, they usually don’t carry any negative intention. I’m sure Ayesha ji also took it in a sporting and positive way. Bharti ji, too, did it without any bad intent. I don’t think anyone would deliberately want to say something negative about someone," he stated.
Avoiding the Viral Discourse
When asked if the cast discussed the incident later on set, Harpal Singh Sokhi revealed that he prefers to stay away from such controversies. "I usually keep myself away from such matters. I stay focused on myself and my work... I don't like getting into discussions about what goes viral and what doesn't. I also don't believe that everything seen on the internet is completely true," he explained.
The chef concluded by praising Ayesha Khan's mature handling of the situation, reiterating his belief that the remark was made in the flow of the show's comedic environment and was not meant to cause harm.
This incident highlights the fine line comedians often walk in their pursuit of humour and the rapid backlash that can follow in the age of social media virality.
