Rajpal Yadav breaks silence after Saurabh Dwivedi's joke on his financial troubles: ‘Please don’t criticise him’

Actor, comedian Rajpal Yadav issued a video statement after a controversy over Saurabh Dwivedi's joke at him. On Tuesday, Yadav took to social media and urged people not to criticise Dwivedi or his co-host Zakir Khan, who were at the Chetak Screens Awards. Both the hosts faced severe backlash on the internet after Dwivedi joked about Yadav's financial worries from a cheque bounce case.

Rajpal Yadav issues statement after joke on cheque bounce case

Rajpal Yadav clarified that the joke in question was a part of a skit.

He said in Hindi, "Hello friends. A few days ago, I had the opportunity to visit Chetak Screen Award, where I got the chance to meet people from across the industry. There was a lively atmosphere with dance, music, and skits being performed—overall, it was a wonderful environment. Different kinds of skits were being presented, including one involving Saurabh and Zakir. It touched upon themes like youth, the economy, its ups and downs, and even issues like the cheque bounce case.

“We tried to create a general skit around such topics—after all, this is what happens in films too. We design scenes, but sometimes their meaning doesn’t reach the audience in the intended way. That’s the nature of cinema.”

The Bhooth Bangla actor further addressed Saurabh Dwivedi and Zakir Khan as his brothers and requested people to not slam them online over the incident.

“Saurabh and Zakir are like my younger brothers. They have always respected me and are very close to my heart. As artists—be it actors, journalists, painters, or storytellers—we are always connected. Saurabh has even stood in support of me and applauded me in the auditoriums. So please, don’t criticise him unnecessarily or write negative things that may hurt him. Hurting Saurabh means hurting me. I love Saurabh, I love Zakir, and I love all of you—I am here because of you,” said Rajpal Yadav.

Salman Khan reacts to the controversy

Yadav's post arrived some time after Salman Khan reacted to the controversy. Khan, in a rare move, reminded Yadav of his notable work in the industry and told him to focus on work.

Khan wrote on X, "Rajpal bhai aap 30 yrs se kaam kar rahe ho aur hum sabne aapko repeat kiya hai baar baar kyunki aap apna kaam jante ho aur ek value laate ho, kaam toh aapko bohot milega aur issi dollar rate pe milega aur milte rahega. Hakikat yeh hai. (Rajpal brother, you’ve been working for 30 years, and all of us have watched you again and again because you truly know your craft and bring real value. You will continue to get plenty of work—and at the same dollar rate—and it will keep coming. That’s the reality).

“Aur yeh yaad rakhna ke kabhi kabhi flow mai kuch nikal aata hai, dena hi hai toh dimag mai rakho dil se kaam karo, dollar upar ho ya neeche kya farak padta hai dena toh India mai hi hai @rajpalofficial (And remember, sometimes things get said in the flow. If you want to give something, keep it in your mind but work from the heart. Whether the dollar goes up or down, what difference does it make? Ultimately, what you give is here in India itself)."

Rajpal Yadav and Saurabh Dwivedi controversy explained

The controversy began when Rajpal Yadav philosophically talked about the uncertain times and fluctuating currencies amid global conflicts. To this, Dwivedi quipped, "Rajpal bhai, no matter how much the dollar and rupee fluctuate, aapko utne hi paise lautane padenge jitne udhaar hain (You will still have to repay exactly the amount of money you owe).”