actor Akshay Kumar was shocked and disappointed after hearing about the constant racism that people from the North East region of India face. In a recent episode of the game show Wheel of Fortune, the actor did not hesitate to take a strong stand against discrimination, stressing that Northeast Indians are Indians just like him.
Akshay calls out racism against Northeastern Indians
In the latest episode of Wheel of Fortune, Akshay was visibly shocked, disappointed and upset when a contestant from the northeastern region of the country spoke about the discrimination they faced. In the episode, a contestant from the North East spoke about the prejudice she faced in Mumbai. She revealed that because of her facial features, people often mockingly tell her, “Go to China” and blame her for spreading the Corona virus.
Akshay then invited his Manipur-based makeup artist to the stage and used the moment to highlight the discrimination faced by people from the Northeast.
Introducing his makeup artist to the audience, Akshay said, “There is a boy with me, who does my makeup and takes care of me. He is here, Ken.” After getting on stage, Ken went on to narrate how he was often ridiculed and stereotyped simply because he hailed from Manipur. He revealed that people usually use racial slurs such as “Chinese”, “Chinki” and even “Momo”.
This left Akshay visibly upset and shocked, as the actor strongly denounced racism and condemned discriminatory behaviour.
“Today, after listening to Ken, I am convinced that these things happen. I want to tell all the people of India that there is discrimination against the people of the North East. They are all Indians. They are Indians just like me, just like you, and the people sitting here,” Akshay said.
The actor then went on to highlight the contribution of people from the north-eastern region of India, especially the Indian Army, saying, “There is a lot of contribution to this country. Naga Regiment… Kargil war, Bangladesh war. They sacrificed their blood. They are Indians, remember this.”
More about Akshay
Akshay is back on the small screen after nearly a decade, stepping in as host of Sony TV’s newest reality show, Wheel of Fortune. Wheel of Fortune is the Indian version of the world-famous game show. Contestants spin a giant wheel to win prize money and then guess letters to solve word puzzles. The goal is to solve the puzzle while collecting winnings. The show premiered on Sony TV and SonyLIV on January 27.
On the film front, Akshay has Priyadarshan’s Bhooth Bangla is in preparation. The film also stars Paresh Rawal and Wamika Gabi in the lead roles. Earlier this month, it was announced that the horror-comedy will hit theaters in May 2026. The film’s release date has changed yet again, and Bhooth Bangla will now hit theaters a few weeks earlier, on April 10. It was previously expected to be released on May 15. Priyadarshan has directed the film. Akshay also has Welcome to The Jungle and Haiwaan.
