Veteran actor and politician Shatrughan Sinha has hit back at Mukesh Khanna for repeatedly commenting on his daughter Sonakshi Sinha’s goof-up about the Ramayan during an episode of Kaun Banega Crorepati. For the unversed, Sonakshi had forgotten for whom Lord Hanuman brought the “sanjeevani booti” and had to rely on a lifeline. This incident, which occurred years ago, continues to draw remarks from Mukesh Khanna.
While Sonakshi recently addressed Khanna’s comments, Shatrughan Sinha had also reacted to the issue back in 2020. Without naming Mukesh Khanna, Shatrughan questioned his authority, asking who appointed him as the ‘guardian’ of the Hindu religion. Speaking to Bollywood Hungama, Shatrughan said, “I believe someone has a problem with Sonakshi not answering a question on the Ramayan. Firstly, what qualifies this person to be an expert on all things related to the Ramayan? And who has appointed him the guardian of the Hindu religion?”
Expressing pride in his daughter, Shatrughan added, “I am very proud of all my three children. Sonakshi became a star on her own. I never had to launch her career. She is a daughter any father would be proud to have. Not answering a question on the Ramayan doesn’t disqualify Sonakshi from being a good Hindu. She doesn’t need a certificate of approval from anyone.”
Interestingly, Shatrughan Sinha has incorporated elements of the Ramayan into his personal life. He has named his twin sons Luv and Kush, after the twins in the epic, and even named his house “Ramayan”.
The controversy was reignited recently when Mukesh Khanna blamed Shatrughan for not imparting cultural knowledge to Sonakshi, despite his prominence in the entertainment industry. Reacting strongly to Khanna’s remarks, Sonakshi shared a statement on her Instagram stories, expressing her displeasure.
“I recently read a statement you made saying that it’s my father’s fault I did not answer a question about the Ramayan correctly on a show I attended many, many years back,” Sonakshi wrote. “Firstly, let me remind you there were two women on the hot seat that day who did not know the answer to the same question, but you choose to keep taking my name, and only my name, for reasons which are quite obvious.”
Sonakshi’s response sheds light on the gendered tone of the criticism, emphasizing the need for fairness and calling out the repeated targeting.
The row continues to spark debate, with Shatrughan Sinha firmly defending his daughter and questioning Mukesh Khanna’s authority to pass judgment on others’ knowledge of cultural and religious matters.
