Shillong, August 23: Indian actor Prakash Raj sparked controversy with a social media post about India’s Chandrayaan-3 moon mission. The post, shared on Monday, was perceived by many as a mockery of the ambitious lunar endeavor. The ensuing outrage led to severe trolling and even a police complaint filed against the actor in Karnataka’s Bagalkot district.
As per India Today, in response to the backlash, Prakash Raj clarified that his post was intended as a humorous reference to the past, reminiscent of the times of Neil Armstrong’s moon landing. Despite his explanation, opinions remained divided, with some users accepting his explanation and others rejecting it.
The contentious post featured a cartoon of a man dressed in a shirt and lungi, pouring tea, with the caption, “BREAKING NEWS: First picture coming from the Moon by #VikramLander Wowww #justasking.”
Critics found the post insensitive, accusing the actor of disrespecting the scientists behind Chandrayaan-3. The mission, launched on July 14 via the GSLV Mark 3, is set to land on the moon on August 23.
Prakash Raj’s response came approximately 20 hours later, wherein he attempted to clarify his intent with another post. He mentioned a joke from the times of Neil Armstrong about finding a Malayali tea seller on the moon, which he claimed he was referencing. He emphasized that those who misunderstood his intention were the ones missing the point.
India Today reported that a user named Advaid contextualized the situation, explaining that the old joke was about how even on the moon, one could find a Malayali, highlighting the universality of the community. The user asserted that Prakash Raj’s post was not a mockery of the ex-ISRO chief but rather a reference to this old joke.