'Was trying to show support, comments misinterpreted': Babil Khan clarifies after video goes viral

After leaving fans curious over a now-deleted video where he appeared critical of Bollywood, Babil Khan clarified that his message was misunderstood and meant to show admiration for fellow artists like Ananya Panday and Arijit Singh.

Babil Khan

Image Credit: Instagram

Actor Babil Khan has responded to the controversy surrounding a video he posted recently on Instagram Stories, where he said Bollywood is 'screwed' and mentioned several popular names from the industry. The video quickly went viral and sparked concern as well as criticism, prompting actor Harshvardhan Rane to advise him publicly to “stay away from alcohol and any such stuff.”

On Sunday evening, Babil shared a follow-up message on Instagram clarifying his intent. Calling the video “extremely misinterpreted,” he said he was merely trying to show support for his peers, whom he genuinely admires.

“I genuinely don’t have the energy to indulge more, but I do this as responsibility for my peers that I truly admire,” he wrote, tagging actors and artists like Ananya Panday, Shanaya Kapoor, Gaurav Adarsh, Arjun Kapoor, Raghav Juyal, and Arijit Singh.

Babil also shared a statement from his family and team through actor Kubbra Sait’s post, where they reassured fans that he is safe and will be feeling better soon. The statement explained that Babil was acknowledging the work of his peers in the evolving landscape of Indian cinema, and his comments came from a place of “genuine admiration—for their authenticity, passion, and efforts to restore credibility and heart in the industry.”

“We respectfully urge media publications and the public to consider the full context of his words rather than drawing conclusions from fragmented video clips,” the note from Team Babil Khan said.

The original video had left many guessing, as Babil seemed emotional while talking about the state of the industry and mentioned a list of actors, prompting concern over his mental health. His clarification now sets the record straight and attempts to shift the conversation back to his intention—appreciating the honest efforts of fellow artists.

Babil Khan, son of the late actor Irrfan Khan, is known for being outspoken about mental health and has often shared his thoughts on the challenges of navigating the film industry as a newcomer.