Actor Siddharth apologises to Saina Nehwal: ‘Cannot justify my tone and words’

After stirring a hornet’s nest with his tweet on badminton champion Saina Nehwal, actor Siddharth has issued an apology. The actor, popularly known for his portrayal as Karan Singhania in Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra’s Rang De Basanti, said in his apology that he might disagree with Saina on many things but even that cannot justify his choice of words and tone.
 
“Dear Saina, I want to apologise to you for my rude joke that I wrote as a response to a tweet of yours, a few days ago. I may disagree with you on many things but even my disappointment or anger when I read your tweet, cannot justify my tone and words. I know I have more grace in me than that,” he said.
 
The actor further added, “As for the joke…. If a joke needs to be explained, then it wasn’t a very good joke to begin with. Sorry about a joke that didn’t land. I, however, must insist my word play and humour had none of the malicious intent that so many people from all quarters have attributed to it. I am a staunch feminist ally and I assure you there was no gender implied in my tweet and certainly no intent to attack you as a woman.”
 
“I hope we can put this behind us and that you will accept my letter. You will always be my Champion,” the Rang De Basanti actor said towards the end of his letter.

For the unversed, Saina Nehwal tweeted on the security breach of PM Narendra Modi in Punjab and said, “No nation can claim itself to be safe if the security of its own PM gets compromised. I condemn, in the strongest words possible, the cowardly attack on PM Modi by anarchists.”

Siddharth had quoted Saina’s tweet on security breach of PM Narendra Modi in Punjab and wrote in a now-deleted tweet, “Subtle cock champion of the world… Thank God we have protectors of India. Shame on you #Rihanna.” After receiving criticism for his remarks, the actor clarified and tweeted, “‘COCK & BULL’ That’s the reference. Reading otherwise is unfair and leading! Nothing disrespectful was intended, said or insinuated. Period.”
 
Saina and her husband Parupalli Kashyap also condemned the actor’s comment. “Yeah, I’m not sure what he meant. I used to like him as an actor but this was not nice. He can express himself with better words but I guess it’s Twitter and you remain noticed with such words and comments,” Saina said in a statement. She added, “If security of the PM is an issue then I’m not sure what is secure in the country.”
 
Her husband and badminton player Parupalli Kashyap had tweeted, “This is upsetting for us. Express your opinion but choose better words man. I guess you thought it was cool to say it this way.”

Also read: Used to like him as an actor, but this was not nice: Saina Nehwal on Siddharth's tweet