Kangana condemns Gavaskar's comment on Anushka; slams her for 'selective feminism'

Actor Anushka Sharma on Friday slammed former Indian cricketer Sunil Gavaskar for his "distasteful" remark about her while commenting on husband Virat Kohli's performance in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL). Reacting on the same, actor Kangana Ranaut called out Anushka Sharma for her 'selective feminism' and said that Sharma was 'quiet' when she was threatened by Shiv Sena's Sanjay Raut.

Kangana said, "#Anushka remained quiet when I was threatened and called Haramkhor but today the same misogyny coming to bite her, I condemn the fact that she was dragged in to cricket by #SunilGavaskar but selective feminism is equally uncool." [sic]

Only a sex starved pervert will find sexual context to #SunilGavaskar’s statement which he made on national television for a woman, he should’ve not mentioned her, but Anushka is playing a cricketer in her next and there are several videos of her practising with her husband.

— Kangana Ranaut (@KanganaTeam) September 25, 2020

Gavaskar found himself in the midst of a controversy for making an unsavoury comment against Kohli and Sharma after the Indian captain's forgettable outing in the IPL match, held in Dubai. Anushka, who has faced negativity and trolling in the past as well for Kohli's performance, said she was tired of being dragged into cricket.

"It's 2020 and things still don't change for me. When will I stop getting dragged into cricket and stop being used to pass sweeping statements?" the actor said in a long statement posted on her Instagram Stories.

Gavaskar was a part of the commentary team as Virat Kohli-led Bangalore team lost to Punjab on Thursday night and the Indian captain did not do well in the match. He made the controversial comment about the cricketer's practice by referencing a video of Kohli and Sharma playing cricket during the lockdown.

"Aur jab lockdown tha to sirf Anushka ki bowling ki practice ki unhone. Vo dikhayi di video me. (He has only faced Anushka's bowling during the lockdown. That's what we saw in the video). 

In her statement, 32-year-old actor, who has accompanied Kohli in Dubai, asked for an explanation from Gavaskar for his remark. "That, Mr Gavaskar, your message is distasteful is a fact but I would love for you to explain why you thought of making such a sweeping statement on a wife accusing her for her husband's game? "I'm sure over the years you have respected the private lives of every cricketer while commenting on the game. Don't you think you should have equal amount of respect for me and us?," Sharma said.

The actor said Gavaskar could have used other words to speak about Kohli's performance, instead of bringing her name in his commentary. In her concluding note, Sharma said, "Respected Mr Gavaskar, you are a legend whose name stands tall in this gentleman's game. Just I want to tell you what I felt when I heard you say this."

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(with PTI inputs)