Don't insult martyrs

Mumbai: Actor Arjun Kapoor says he doesn't take offence when people crack jokes at his expense but making fun of martyrs, like his Panipat character Sadashivrao Bhau, is "sad" and "uncouth".

Many memes emerged after the posters of Panipat, the actor's upcoming period drama, were released, especially with Arjun at the centre, who plays the Maratha warrior Sadashivrao in the Ashutosh Gowariker directorial.

Asked how he reacts to these memes, Arjun said if people joke about "this film", they are "making fun of people who have sacrificed themselves for India".

"You make fun of me, I am here today I won't be tomorrow. But if you're making fun of this film, you're making fun of people who have sacrificed themselves for India. I don't see anyone making fun of Shaheed Bhagat Singh, I've never seen a meme on Subhas Chandra Bose. But I'm seeing memes on Sadashivrao Bhau and nobody says anything about it," the actor said.

Arjun said Sadashivrao was a valiant soldier and martyr.

The actor said people are making fun of Sadashivrao because no one knows the story.

"If you were taught this story from childhood, you'd have agreed that these characters shouldn't be made fun of. I will laugh a million times over jokes on myself. But there's no balance on social media today, it has become derogatory and negative," he added.