Congress leader calls Rohit Sharma 'fat for a sportsman', 'most unimpressive captain'
Triggers outrage
Mumbai: Congress spokesperson Shama Mohamed has sparked controversy with her sharp criticism of Indian cricket captain Rohit Sharma, calling him "fat for a sportsman" and labeling him "the most unimpressive captain India has ever had."
Her now-deleted post on X came after Sharma was dismissed for just 15 runs off 17 balls during India's match against New Zealand in the ICC Champions Trophy. She wrote, "@ImRo45 is fat for a sportsman! Needs to lose weight! And of course, the most unimpressive captain India has ever had." She went on to call him a "mediocre captain and player" who got "lucky" to be India's captain.
The remarks triggered outrage across social media and political circles, with BJP spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari criticising the Congress, stating, "Shame on Congress! Now they are going after the Indian cricket captain! Do they expect Rahul Gandhi to now play cricket after failing in Indian politics?"
BJP leader Radhika Khera also condemned Shama's comments, stating that Congress had a history of undermining athletes. “This is the same Congress that humiliated athletes for decades, denied them recognition, and now dares to mock a cricketing legend? The party that thrives on nepotism is lecturing a self-made champion?” Khera wrote on X.
Following the backlash, Shama clarified that her tweet was a "generic" comment about a sportsperson's fitness rather than body-shaming. “It was a generic tweet about the fitness of a sportsperson. It was not body-shaming. I always believed a sportsperson should be fit, and I felt he was a bit overweight, so I just tweeted about that. I have the right. What is wrong in saying? It is a democracy,” she told news agency ANI.
In response to the controversy, the Congress party distanced itself from Shama’s remarks. Senior Congress leader Pawan Khera issued a statement stating, "Dr Shama Mohammed, National Spokesperson of the Indian National Congress, made certain remarks about a cricketing legend that do not reflect the party's position."
He emphasised that the Indian National Congress holds the contributions of sporting icons in the highest regard and does not endorse any statements that undermine their legacy.
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Ikkis box office Day 1: Agastya Nanda’s war drama earns ₹7 crore, beats trade projections
Mumbai: Ikkis, the latest war drama directed by Sriram Raghavan, has delivered a stronger-than-expected opening at the box office, earning an estimated ₹7 crore net in India on its first day, Hindustan Times reported on Friday.
The film, starring Agastya Nanda, opened in theatres on January 1 across nearly 4,000 screens nationwide. Trade analysts had earlier projected a modest opening of ₹2–2.5 crore, especially given stiff competition from Dhurandhar, which continues to perform strongly at the box office.
Despite these expectations, Ikkis exceeded projections by nearly three times, helped largely by positive word of mouth. As per the report, the film had around 12% occupancy in the morning shows across the country, which jumped to 35% by afternoon, and 47% in the evening, indicating growing audience interest as the day progressed.
While Dhurandhar dominated the day with a reported ₹15 crore collection, trade observers note that Ikkis holding its ground amid such competition is a promising sign, particularly for its performance over the extended opening weekend.
Ikkis is based on the life of Arun Khetarpal, the youngest recipient of India’s highest gallantry award, the Param Vir Chakra. The film chronicles Khetarpal’s exploits and bravery during the 1971 India-Pakistan War. Agastya plays Khetarpal in the film.
While screen legend Dharmendra appears as his father in his final performance, Dharmendra died a little over a month before the film’s release. Ikkis is also among the final films of the late Asrani, who also died late last year. The film also stars Jaideep Ahlawat and Deepak Dobriyal.
