Neetu Chandra, who is known for her performances in films such as ‘Traffic Signal’ and ‘Garam Masala’, is now quite successful as a Bhojpuri film producer. Though she has not done a single Hindi movie since 2011, Neetu has been giving special appearances in south Indian films. One of the films she produced in Maithili, ‘Mithila Makhaan’, won the National Award at the 63rd National Film Awards.
In fact, Neetu’s ‘Mithila Makhaan’ was the first Maithili film to have been made. So obviously, she can take pride in her work.
A still from ‘Mithila Makhaan’. Rediff.com
What is also noteworthy is that she is one of the few actresses who has never landed in any kind of controversy, until now.
Neetu recently posted a tweet expressing outrage over stand-up comedian Zakir Khan. She was miffed at the alleged insult of Biharis by the comedian. Khan is a very famous comic on the circuit and his acts are appreciated by many.
A still from ‘Mithila Makhaan’. Saymore
This is what Neetu wrote:
How dare u make fun of my state calling d people of my #Bihar ugly n of course as usual we #Biharis keep quite on stupid n literally ugly man in n out @Zakirism #press @NitishKumar @SushilModi #Padmavati issue is not an insult 2 us but HE IS !! CHECK DS https://t.co/wL8Vc1NYQa
— Neetu N Chandra (@Neetu_Chandra) 1 December 2017
D top film makers #Shatrughansinha @ManMundra #Imtiazali @prakashjha27 @nitinchandra25 #sandeepsingh n more r 4m #Bihar ! WE R PROUD OF them.U r an uneducated illiterate man, Shame on U n ur up bringing!Ur parents should be ashamed dt u has no aesthetics! https://t.co/wL8Vc1NYQa
— Neetu N Chandra (@Neetu_Chandra) 1 December 2017
Note that she tagged Bihar chief minister and deputy chief minister as well:
“How dare u make fun of my state calling d people of my #Bihar ugly n of course as usual we #Biharis keep quite on stupid n literally ugly man in n out @Zakirism #press @NitishKumar @SushilModi #Padmavati issue is not an insult 2 us but HE IS !! CHECK DS”
But what did Khan say? This is the video of Khan’s performance which left Neetu enraged. It should be noted that the video is from his performance in 2014.
She received support of many on social media:
@Zakirism जैसे लोग जब पढाई के नाम पर माँ-बाप के रुपये ऐय्याशी में उडा देते हैं तो,
ऐसे ही शाॅर्ट-कट फार्मूले को अपनाते हैं, अपनी पहचान बनाने के लिए ।
काॅमेडी करो जनाब लेकिन दायरे में https://t.co/SkIuMsjnCS— ऋतेश गोस्वामी (@Hritesh_) 2 December 2017
I’m proud of bihari
जय बिहार जय नितीश कुमार जी @Neetu_Chandra #बानर जाने आदि(अदरख)के स्वाद #एक_बिहारी_सौ_पर_भारी
शुभ रात्रि!
Special thanks to you #Bihari @PawanPatelRoya1 @NitishKumar @BiharEtv pic.twitter.com/x8KzRZq9SD
— Pawan Patel Royal (@PawanPatelRoya1) 1 December 2017
मेरे विरोध को अपने एक आवाज़ देने के लिए धन्यवाद जखीर जैसे लोग आर्टिस्ट नही है। ये लोग एक राज्य के लोगो का मजाक बनाना अपने right to speech समझते है । लेकिन ये नही समझते कि करनी सेना ने जैसा अभी कर रखा है उससे ज्यादा बिहारी कर देगा ।
— Sahul Pandey (@SahulPandey3) 1 December 2017
Is zakir ko kya maaloom Bihar ne is desh ko kya kya diya hai.Waise ye apni comedy kahin aur jaakar chamkaane.Ayeenda Bihar ya Bihari ke liye kuch aisa bola to joote khaayega woh bhi bhingaakar
— Asghar Imam (@Asghar52793732) 2 December 2017
he dared to make fun because the entire country does and we silently listen. We don’t have an option. Politicians have made a joke out of Bihar and the only reason these guys can keep doing this is because we deserve no better. We believe in castes more than education.
— kuchtohkarnahai (@abhinavbhaskar7) 1 December 2017
Thank you very much @Neetu_Chandra for support.
I was a big fan of urs @Zakirism and I am from Bihar but today u lost respect in my eye and loosed a fan . I know it won’t make any difference to u. But really u shuld ashamed of mocking at Biharis.— Srikant Kumar (@Srikant21798343) 2 December 2017
But there were some people who challenged Neetu, yet she responded to most of them:
Don’t call him an #artist , #artists r sensitive people , looks like he tires to sell every thing possible. Calling himself a #Muslim N I am not a #terrorist Does it means every other #muslim is one but not him? How can he even say that too ? Really ? https://t.co/wL8Vc1NYQa https://t.co/FwtcbFvcF2
— Neetu N Chandra (@Neetu_Chandra) 1 December 2017
I agree !! It’s high time that all #Biharis have to unite and stop letting anyone do this. Get up #Biharis anyone comes says anything 2 us n goes… you are still quite.. why ?? All of us have to do our bit.. every individual !! #Selfrespect Do we have ? #Patna https://t.co/qTxH5jx7kf
— Neetu N Chandra (@Neetu_Chandra) 1 December 2017
But according to News18, Khan had already commented on the issue saying that he understood the sensitivity. He has since refrained from making such references in his performances.
Khan has not yet taken to Twitter to comment on the recent controversy. What do you think? Is Neetu right in her condemnation of Zakir?
