Image shared on Instagram. (Courtesy: celinajaitlyofficial)
Bollywood actress and former Miss India Celina Jaitly has written a thank you note to the National Commission for Women (NCW) and the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) for helping her deal with a “self-proclaimed Hindi film critic and journalist from Pakistan” who made “untrue horrific claims” about her on Twitter. Celina said that the journalist made “bizarre allegations” about her relations with her “mentor and godfather” late actor Feroz Khan and his son, actor Fardeen Khan. The actress added, “It was not just a fight for the open assault on my character but also an assault on my integrity, my motherhood, my family and my godfather and my beloved mentor Mr Feroz Khan.” Celina made her Bollywood debut with the 2003 film Janasheen, directed by Feroz Khan. It also featured Fardeen in the lead role.
In an elaborate note on Twitter, Celina Jaitly said, “A few months ago, a self-proclaimed Hindi film critic and journalist from Pakistan named Umair Sandhu took to Twitter to make viral untrue horrific claims about me which included bizarre allegations like my relations with both my mentor Feroz Khan and his son Fardeen [Khan].” Celina said that the journalist made claims targeting “me and my family's safety and security even in Austria.”
Celina Jaitly continued, “My response to his harassment and fake claims from Pakistan went viral and garnered support from millions of Twitterati including Pakistani nationals who were appalled at his behaviour. The perpetrator changes his location on social media consistently but was hiding in Pakistan, as a result thereof legal recourse was not possible for me and he continued to assault my character and modesty from across the border.”
Celina Jaitly said that she reached out to the National Commission for Women in India, who took “cognizance of her complaint and wrote a letter addressed to Joint Secretary (PAI Division), Ministry of External Affairs, for initiating necessary action in the matter”.
The actress added that the commission also “received a positive response” from the MEA. She said, “The Ministry views the incident with utmost seriousness and has raised the matter with the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi seeking an immediate investigation and action on the incident.”
As per Celina Jaitly, it was not just about her, or her family. She said, “For me, it was not just a fight for the open assault on my character but also an assault on my integrity, my motherhood, my family and my Godfather and my beloved mentor Mr Feroz Khan who is no longer in this world here to defend himself.”
Talking about her equation with Feroz Khan, she wrote, “He was my mentor, my friend, my guide and I am eternally grateful for the love, respect and career he gave me. I am an Indian Army war hero's daughter and I was going to fight it till my last breath even if it meant going to Pakistan to teach this person a lesson.”
Celina Jaitly said that she was grateful to the National Commission for Women and the Ministry of External Affairs because they upheld the pride of every Indian woman by initiating action. “Four generations of my family including my father gave their blood to our nation and today when they are no longer in this world I feel glad to be treated as a daughter of my nation where in the Government is my protector and guardian,” she wrote.
Celina Jaitly concluded her note by expressing her gratitude to all her friends and fans for supporting her. The actress also shared a picture of the letter sent to the MEA.
A few months ago, Celina Jaitly gave a savage reply to the “self-proclaimed” journalist who tried to defame her with a distasteful tweet on her equations with Feroz Khan and Fardeen Khan. She had also requested Twitter to take action. In her reply to the tweet, the actress wrote, “Dear Mr Sandhu, hope posting this gave you the much-needed girth and length to become a man and some hope to cure you of your erectile dysfunction. There are other ways to fix your problem… like going to a doctor, you must try it sometime." She also tagged the official handle of Twitter Safety, which resolves complaints about harassment.
Celina Jaitly is known for her work in films such as Apna Sapna Money Money, No Entry, and Golmaal Returns, among others.