After backlash, Vivek Oberoi deletes controversial tweet featuring Aishwarya; apologises
The actor seemingly had a change of heart today as he remained defiant about apologising for the tweet yesterday, insisting that he had done nothing wrong
After a severe backlash, actor Vivek Oberoi on Tuesday apologised for his controversial tweet featuring Aishwarya Rai Bachchan’s personal life and deleted it.
On Monday, the actor had tweeted a collage of three images featuring him, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, her husband Abhishek Bachchan, their daughter Aaradhya and actor Salman Khan.
The post referred to Salman and Aishwarya’s relationship as the ‘opinion poll’, Vivek and Aishwarya’s affair as the ‘exit poll’ and her current family with husband Abhishek and daughter Aaradhya as the ‘final result.’
“Sometimes what appears to be funny and harmless at first glance to one, may not be so to others. I have spent the last 10 years empowering more than 2000 underprivileged girls, I can’t even think of being disrespectful to any woman ever,” Oberoi tweeted on Tuesday.
“Even if one woman is offended by my reply to the meme, it calls for remedial action. Apologies. Tweet deleted,” he added.
Even if one woman is offended by my reply to the meme, it calls for remedial action. Apologies?? tweet deleted.
— Vivek Anand Oberoi (@vivekoberoi) May 21, 2019
Incidentally, the actor had earlier claimed that he did not see anything offensive in his tweet and refused to apologise. But, he seemingly had a change of heart today morning, following which he issued an apology.
“Those who are in the meme have no objection while scores of politicians are trying to politicise the issue. They don’t work on issues but start their politics on such non-issues. There is a ‘Didi’ in West Bengal who puts people behind jail for a meme. Now, these people are demanding to put Vivek Oberoi behind bars. They were unable to stop my film and hence are now are trying to put me behind bars,” Vivek was quoted as saying.
“People are asking me to apologise. I have no problem in apologising, but tell me what wrong have I done. If I have done something wrong, I will apologise. I don’t think I have done anything wrong. What’s wrong in it? Somebody tweeted a meme and I laughed at it,” he added.
The tweet garnered criticism from all corners, including from political rivals and Bollywood actors.
Urmila Matondkar, who is the Congress candidate from Mumbai North, called the actor – who had campaigned for BJP in recent polls – out for not having the courtesy of pulling down the tweet despite criticism.
One of the harshest critics was Bollywood actor Sonam Kapoor, who called the meme “disgusting and classless”. In response, Vivek advised Kapoor to stop ‘overacting’ and ‘overreacting’.
Meanwhile, the National Commission for Women sent a notice to Oberoi, asking him to give an explanation for sharing the “insulting” and “misogynist” tweet.
