How dare you, sir: Farhan Akhtar takes on BJP leader who said actors have low IQ

Actor-filmmaker Farhan Akhtar’s comment was in reaction to an interview that BJP spokesperson Narasimha Rao gave over the controversy on Tamil film Mersal that has scenes critical of GST and Digital India initiatives.

Actor-filmmaker Farhan Akhtar has taken a dig at Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) spokesperson GVL Narasimha Rao over his remarks that most Indian film stars have “very low IQ and very low general knowledge”.

Actor-filmmaker Farhan Akhtar at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International airport in Mumbai.(IANS file)

“How dare you, sir?” an angry Farhan tweeted and tagged the BJP leader.

Farhan’s comment was in reaction to an interview Rao gave to Times Now TV over the ongoing controversy on Tamil film “Mersal” that has scenes critical of the GST and the Digital India initiatives of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Rao, criticising the movie and its makers in the TV interview, said: “In any case, most of our film stars have very low IQ, very low general knowledge.”

“Mersal”, Tamil actor Vijay’s Diwali release, is in the news after the Tamil Nadu unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) demanded removal of specific dialogues which take a dig at GST and digital India.

Reacting to Farhan’s tweet, Rao replied, “Farhan ji, Expressing an opinion is not a dare. Respect stars4work. Pl do take criticism in stride. No intolerance please!!”

When a user tweeted, “I thought u knew the difference between ‘all’ and ‘most of’. U only proved him right,” Farhan responded to him and tweeted, “It’s not about most and all. It’s the condescending attitude towards the profession.”

Politicians, including Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi and DMK leader MK Stalin, apart from actor Kamal Haasan, slammed the BJP’s attempt to muzzle criticism regarding its policies.

Directed by Atlee, Mersal stars Vijay in the roles of a village head, a doctor and a magician.