Actor Sudhanshu Pandey, known for Anupamaa and his stint on The Traitors, voiced his concerns during a recent Instagram Live session. The discussion centred on Apoorva Mukhija’s controversial “Ashish jaayega” comment about senior actor Ashish Vidyarthi on the reality show.
Sudhanshu expressed his dismay, questioning Apoorva’s casual tone. “If Ashish is her childhood mate, fair enough, but this flippant way of speaking about him is unacceptable,” he remarked, criticising her attitude. “It reflects poorly on today’s generation, and I find it utterly uncool.” He elaborated, “Apoorva, dubbed The Rebel Kid, already courts controversy. I’m not calling her a bad person—she seems kind-hearted. But when your tongue turns sour, it taints everything. Lacking the know-how to address seniors respectfully can ruin it all.”
He highlighted the disrespect, saying, “Ashish bhai—Ashish Vidyarthi—is a veteran, senior even to me. Yet, behind his back, Apoorva said, ‘Mujhe lagta hai Ashish jayega’ (I think Ashish will go). I was stunned. Is this how you talk about someone older than your parents? What does this say about her character? Is this Gen Z’s idea of cool? No, it’s nonsense and a blight on society.”
Drawing from his personal life, Sudhanshu added, “I have kids in Gen Z, and they’re incredibly respectful. So, I apologise, but I see real issues here.”
The Indian adaptation of the popular Dutch reality series, hosted by Karan Johar, features 20 contestants, including Uorfi Javed, Apoorva Mukhija, Anshula Kapoor, Raftaar, Raj Kundra, Sahil Salathia, Lakshmi Manchu, and Karan Kundrra, divided into Traitors and Faithful. This murder mystery with a twist of intrigue premiered on Prime Video on 12 June. Raj Kundra was the first eliminated after Apoorva exposed him as a Traitor. The fourth episode, released on 19 June, saw the group reconvene, with suspicions falling on Maheep Kapoor and Raftaar, ultimately leading to Maheep’s exit.
Earlier today, at 15:30 IST, Sudhanshu joined a Twitter Spaces chat with fans, reiterating his stance and urging younger audiences to value respect. The session, attended by avid viewers, underscored his commitment to addressing such issues publicly.