Chum Darang finally broke her silence on Elvish Yadav's allegedly racist remarks on her.
Chum Darang gained a lot of fame following her stint in the controversial reality show, Bigg Boss 18, making her way to the Top 5 finalists. A few days ago, the internet burst out in response to an insensitive remark made by YouTuber and Bigg Boss OTT 2 winner, Elvish Yadav. Elvish’s remarks directed at Chum during an episode of his podcast with Rajat Dalal were flagged as ‘insensitive’ and ‘racist’. Now, a few days into the ongoing controversy, Chum Darang broke her silence on the same.
On February 10, 2025, Chum took to her IG Stories to break her silence on the controversy after days of speculation. The actress strongly reacted to Elvish Yadav’s remarks, highlighting the fine line that distinguishes humour and hate. She also criticised him for disrespecting filmmaker Sanjay Leela Bhansali, who had cast her in Gangubai Kathiawadi. Elvish used Chum’s character from the film as a reference while making derogatory remarks about her, leading to her strong condemnation. Chum’s message read:
"Disrespecting someone’s identity & name is not ‘fun.’ Mocking someone’s achievements is not ‘banter.’ It’s time we draw the line between humour and hate. What’s even more disappointing is that this wasn’t just about my ethnicity, my hard work and a film backed by a visionary like Sanjay Leela Bhansali was also disrespected."
Chum also extended her support to others who have faced racism, especially addressing those like her who hail from North-Eastern India. Highlighting the problem of racism, Chum stood in support of fellow victims and wrote:
"To my fellow Northeasterners and everyone who has faced racism—I see you, I hear you, and I stand with you. We all deserve respect, dignity, and equality. Let’s raise our voices against racism and promote a culture of empathy, kindness, and understanding. #NoRoomForRacism #NotOkayWithRacism"
For the uninitiated, the controversy stemmed from Elvish’s YouTube podcast, particularly the episode where he invited Rajat Dalal, the second runner-up of Bigg Boss 18. A snippet from the podcast has since gone viral. In the video, Elvish was heard making fun of Chum’s alleged boyfriend, Karan Veer Mehra, for liking her. The video sent social media into a frenzy, with fans accusing the YouTuber of racism.
Responding to the backlash, Elvish defended himself in a vlog, stating that his words were misinterpreted. He claimed that people were unnecessarily twisting his statements to create controversy. He said:
“Toh maine khol ke dekha maine kahi kya racist remarks pass kare hain? Maine Chum ke upar kuch bol rakha tha. Waise maine kaha maine bola ya nahi, hatao, mujhe negativity chahiye hi nahi. Agar maan lo kisiko kharab lag raha hai mere bolne se, toh bhai, wo part maine remove kar diya. Second thing, kitne bewakoof log hain jinko ye samajh mein nahi aa raha. Wo log bol raha hai Elvish ne covid bol diya, so Elvish is relating Chinese with Chum. Usmein maine bola tha, Karan Veer ko shayad covid ho rakha tha jo uski taste, smell chali gayi, jo usko Chum pasand aa gayi. Main itna gaya guzra nahi hu ki kisi ko bolu ki tu ye hai, wo hai. Main in cheezon se bachta hu. Na mujhe kisise lena dena ki main kisi pe racist comment pass karu.”
What are your views on the ongoing controversy?
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