Cricketer-turned-Politician Navjot Singh Sidhu was a familiar face on television because of his appearance in The Kapil Sharma Show has now been sacked from the show.
There was outrage on Twitter after Sidhu's sympathizing comment on Pakistan in the aftermath of the Pulwama terrorist attack. Condemning the attack that killed 40 CRPF personnel, the 55-year-old Congress party politician had said “terrorists do not have deen, mazhab (sect and religion)”, adding that it's unfair to blame the whole nation of what terrorists did.
Channel listened to its viewers and immediately took a strong step against Sidhu. They have replaced him with Archana Pooran Singh.
“It is unnecessarily affecting the show, so Sidhu will no longer be associated with Kapil’s show. We are in talks with Archana to replace him,” said a source close to the channel. He added, "The already shot a bank of episodes with Sidhu, and now, the creative team will decide how to go about this.”
Hindustan Times contacted Archana but she had no idea about the replacement. “I don’t have any information about replacing Sidhu. I got to know from the media that this is happening. I’m yet to get any official communication from the channel and creative heads of the show,” she said. Archana has shot a couple of episodes before the attack.
Sidhu took Twitter to clear his side. “I had to attend Vidhan Sabha’s session due to which I couldn’t go for the shoots of The Kapil Sharma Show and they got somebody else in my replacement for two episodes. I have no intimation about my termination from the channel. If it is regarding my statement, I will stick to what I have been saying yesterday, today and ever tomorrow.”
Actor Sumona Chakravarti, who is also part of the show also has no clue about the change. “I’m not aware of the replacement. Only the channel can reveal the plan. Every celebrity will have an opinion on the tragic incident but that definitely should not affect one’s show,” she said.
Comedian Bharti Singh commented on the issue and said, “It is sad to know that Sidhuji won’t be part of the show anymore. I have no official information about the replacement, though. On our next shoot, on February 20, we will get to know who will sit on the ‘master’ seat.”
(With Hindustan Times Inputs)
