Actor Rajpal Yadav addressed a viral awards show banter with Saurabh Dwivedi and Zakir Khan, clarifying it was a misunderstood skit. He urged for calm and defended his 'younger brothers'. Salman Khan also came out in support of Yadav's career.
Actor Rajpal Yadav has addressed a recent incident stemming from a viral moment at an awards ceremony in Mumbai, urging restraint even as the episode sparked debate online.
During the April 5 event, Yadav was in the audience and there was bantering between him and journalist Saurabh Dwivedi and comedian Zakir Khan, who were on the stage. In a clip circulated widely on social media, Yadav referred to the impact of the West Asia conflict said, "Rupya, dollar sab upar neeche ho raha hai, kuch samajh mein nahi aa raha hai (There's a lot of up and down movement in rupee and dollar, I'm not understanding anything)." Dwivedi responded, "Rajpal bhai, dollar kitna bhi upar-neeche ho jaye, aapko utne hi paise lautane padenge, jitne udhar hai (Rajpal bhai, no matter how high or low the dollar goes, you'll have to return exactly the same amount you borrowed)." The remark was perceived by some as a dig at Yadav, who has been in a legal tussle in a cheque bounce case.
Rajpal Yadav Breaks Silence
Breaking his silence, Yadav shared a reflective message in a post on his X handle about the banter and appealed for calm. "Namaskar friends. In last few days I had the opportunity to go to Chetak Screen Awards. There we got a chance to meet the entire industry. Lots of dancing, singing and skits. The atmosphere was good," he said, in a video.
Placing the moment in a broader perspective, he added, "There were skits and I, Saurabh and Zakir had a word about the situation in the world, which has wars, economy, things are going up and down and the common man suffers in all this. We tried to make a skit around this. Sometimes it happens in films that we design a scene but the meaning does not properly reach the audience. "
Yadav also spoke warmly about Saurabh Dwivedi and Zakir Khan. "This is cinema. Saurabh and Zakir are like my younger brothers. They have always given me respect. They are our pride." "Please don't criticise Saurabh or hurt him by writing wrong lines. Hurting his heart means hurting mine. If any such lines are written, it will pain me. I love Saurabh, I love Zakir, I love you all. I am here because of you guys," 🙏 @saurabhtop #ZakirKhan pic.twitter.com/jPRWjQL9a6 — Rajpal Naurang Yadav (@rajpalofficial) April 7, 2026
Salman Khan Extends Support
The actor's response came amid public support from superstar Salman Khan, who praised Yadav's three-decade-long career and contribution to the industry.
In a post on X, Khan wrote, "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." He further added, "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."
Responding to the message, Yadav said, "Bhai, mere 30 saal ke safar ko sarahne ke liye bahut-bahut shukriya. Aap hamesha ek bade bhai ki tarah raasta dikhate aaye hain. Love you, Bhai, Naman!" (ANI)
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