Actor Akshay Kumar was shocked and disappointed after hearing about the persistent racism faced by people from the Northeast region of India. In a recent episode of the game show Wheel of Fortune, the actor didn’t hold back as he took a strong stand against discrimination, stressing that Northeast Indians are as Indian as he is.
Akshay calls out racism against Northeast Indians
In the recent episode of Wheel of Fortune, Akshay was visibly shocked, disappointed, and upset when a contestant from the Northeast region of the country opened up about the discrimination they had faced. In the episode, a contestant from the Northeast spoke about the prejudice she faced in Mumbai. She revealed that because of her facial features, people would often mockingly tell her to “go to China” and blame her for spreading COVID-19.
Following this, Akshay invited his Manipur-based makeup artist on stage and used the moment to highlight discrimination faced by people from the Northeast.
Introducing his makeup artist to the audience, Akshay said, “There is a boy with me, who does my makeup and takes care of me. He is here, Kim.” After getting on stage, Kim went on to recount how he had often been mocked and stereotyped simply because he hails from Manipur. He revealed that people commonly use racist slurs such as “Chinese”, “Chinky” and even “Momo”.
This left Akshay visibly disturbed and shocked, with the actor strongly calling out racism and condemning the discriminatory behaviour.
“Today, after listening to Kim, I am convinced that these things happen. I want to tell all the people of India that there is discrimination against the people of the Northeast. They are all Indians. They are as much Indians as I am, you are, and the people sitting here,” Akshay said.
The actor then went on to highlight the contribution of people from the Northeast region in India, especially the Indian army, saying, “There is so much contribution for this country. The Naga Regiment… Kargil war, Bangladesh war. They have given their blood. They are Indians, remember this.”
More about Akshay
Akshay has returned to the small screen after nearly a decade, stepping in as the host of Sony TV’s latest reality show, Wheel of Fortune. Wheel of Fortune is the Indian adaptation of the globally popular game show. Contestants spin a giant wheel to earn prize money and then guess letters to solve word puzzles. The aim is to crack the puzzle while accumulating winnings. The show premiered on Sony TV and SonyLIV on January 27.
On the film front, Akshay has Priyadarshan’s Bhooth Bangla in the pipeline. The film also stars Paresh Rawal and Wamiqa Gabbi in lead roles. Earlier this month, it was announced that the horror comedy would arrive in theatres in May 2026. The release date of the film has changed again, and Bhooth Bangla will now hit theatres a few weeks prior, on April 10. It was earlier expected to release on May 15. Priyadarshan has directed the film. Akshay also has Welcome To The Jungle and Haiwaan lined up.
