Actor Babil Khan breaks down in viral video over Bollywood exclusion, team clarifies intent

Actor Babil Khan, the son of late actor Irrfan Khan and an emerging talent in the Indian film industry, recently stirred conversation online after a video surfaced of him tearfully expressing feelings of exclusion from Bollywood circles.

The video, which was later taken down, quickly gained traction across social media platforms.

In the clip, Babil emotionally referenced several industry figures, including Shanaya Kapoor, Ananya Panday, Arjun Kapoor, Siddhant Chaturvedi, Raghav Juyal, Adarsh Gourav, and singer Arijit Singh.

“What I mean to say is that I just want you guys to know that there are people like Shanaya Kapoor, Ananya Pandey, Arjun Kapoor, Siddhant Chaturvedi, Raghav Juyal, Adarsh Gourav, and even... Arijit Singh? There are so, so many more names. Bollywood is so f****ed. Bollywood is so, so rude,” he said in the now-deleted video.

Following widespread speculation, Babil's team and family released a joint statement to address the reactions and clarify the intent behind the video.

The statement emphasized that Babil’s comments were misunderstood, stating, “Over the past few years, Babil Khan has earned immense love and appreciation for his work, as well as for his openness about his mental health journey. Like anyone else, Babil is allowed to have difficult days—and this was one of them. We want to reassure all his well-wishers that he is safe and will be feeling better soon.”

It added, “In the clip, Babil was sincerely acknowledging a few of his peers whom he believes are making meaningful contributions to the evolving landscape of Indian cinema. His mention of artists like Ananya Panday, Shanaya Kapoor, Siddhant Chaturvedi, Raghav Juyal, Adarsh Gourav, Arjun Kapoor, and Arijit Singh came from a place of genuine admiration—for their authenticity, passion, and efforts to restore credibility and heart in the industry.”

The statement concluded with a request, that, “We respectfully urge media publications and the public to consider the full context of his words rather than drawing conclusions from fragmented video clips.”