Anil Kapoor in a still from AK vs AK trailer. (Photo: Netflix India/YouTube)Bollywood movie AK vs AK, starring Anil Kapoor and Anurag Kashyap, has landed in a controversy. The Indian Air Force has objected to Kapoor’s character wearing the uniform of an Air Force officer in the film and has asked the makers to withdraw the objectionable scenes.
Indian Air Force’s Twitter handle wrote, “The IAF uniform in this video is inaccurately donned & the language used is inappropriate. This does not conform to the behavioural norms of those in the Armed Forces of India. The related scenes need to be withdrawn.”
The IAF uniform in this video is inaccurately donned & the language used is inappropriate. This does not conform to the behavioural norms of those in the Armed Forces of India. The related scenes need to be withdrawn.@NetflixIndia @anuragkashyap72#AkvsAk https://t.co/F6PoyFtbuB
— Indian Air Force (@IAF_MCC) December 9, 2020
The clip pointed out by IAF also shows Anil Kapoor using unsavoury language, which does not “conform to the behavioural norms” of IAF personnel.
Responding to the objection, streaming giant Netflix released a statement on social media. It read, “Hon. @IAF_MCC, our intention would never be to disrespect the Armed Forces of India in any regard. AK Vs. AK is a film in which Anil Kapoor and his co-stars are playing themselves as actors. At no point does the film represent the Indian Air Force or our Armed Forces. We have nothing but the highest respect for the brave people protecting our nation.”
Anil Kapoor also released a video and offered “a humble apology for unintentionally hurting anyone’s sentiments.”
He said, “My character in the film is in uniform because he is an actor playing the role of an officer. When he finds out that his daughter has been kidnapped, the anger and rage he experiences and portrays is that of an emotionally distraught father. It was only in the interest of remaining true to the story that my character is still wearing the uniform on his quest to find his missing daughter. It was never my intent or the intent of the filmmakers to disrespect the Indian air force.” The actor concluded by saying that he has the utmost respect for defence personnel.
— Anil Kapoor (@AnilKapoor) December 9, 2020
AK vs AK is a meta film where Kapoor and Kashyap play exaggerated versions of themselves. The official synopsis reads, “A brash film director (Anurag Kashyap, as himself) kidnaps the daughter of a movie star (Anil Kapoor, as himself) and films the star’s desperate search for his daughter in real-time as his next blockbuster.”
Directed by Vikramaditya Motwane, the movie will start streaming on Netflix from December 24.