Singer Kumar Sanu’s son Jaan Kumar Sanu on Wednesday landed in a controversy over his objectionable comments against the Marathi language in the reality television show Bigg Boss on Colors channel, with the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) warning physical violence against him while the ruling Shiv Sena sought strict action.
Sensing the trouble, Viacom18 Media Private Limited, who runs the channel, apologised to Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, saying the objectionable part would be removed from all future broadcasts of the episode. Mr. Sanu during the show had warned another participant to not speak in Marathi in front of him as he got irritated listening to it.
“He gets irritated by Marathi and he wants to make a big name for himself in the entertainment industry by living in Mumbai. We will see to it that it never happens. We will beat you,” said Ameya Khopkar, president, cinema wing of the MNS.
Mr. Khopkar said that Colors channel should have edited that part before broadcasting it. “Since it did not, we got to know, who the traitor was. Now I nominate you to get kicked out of Mumbai,” he said.
Sena MLA Pratap Sarnaik too reacted asking whether the channel was purposely promoting such controversy to increase the TRP of its show. “Mr. Sanu should be kicked out of the show. If the channel fails to do so, our party workers will stage a Sena style protest on the set of the Bigg Boss ,” Mr. Sarnaik said.
On Wednesday afternoon, the parent company of the channel sent a letter to Mr. Thackeray. “We hereby apologise if we have inadvertently hurt the feelings of the people of Maharashtra due to the broadcast of the said comment in relation to the Marathi language. We value the audience and the patronage of the Marathi speaking audience and respect all languages of India in the same manner,” it said.
