Sonakshi Sinha Claps Back at Mukesh Khanna: "Never Use Ramayan to Target Me Again!"

In an incident that has reignited discussions on celebrity knowledge of Indian mythology, actress Sonakshi Sinha responded sharply to veteran actor Mukesh Khanna's criticism regarding her inability to answer a question on the Ramayana during her appearance on "Kaun Banega Crorepati" (KBC11). Khanna, who is well-known for his role as Bhishma in the iconic TV series "Mahabharat," had taken a jab at Sonakshi, suggesting that her failure to answer was indicative of a broader cultural ignorance, which he attributed to her upbringing by her father, Shatrughan Sinha.

The controversy began when Sonakshi couldn't correctly answer the question, "According to Ramayana, Hanuman fetched the Sanjeevani herb for whom?" with options being Sugriva, Lakshmana, Sita, and Rama. Opting for a lifeline, she finally answered correctly but faced significant trolling on social media for her initial confusion. Mukesh Khanna, in an interview with Siddharth Kannan, didn't miss the opportunity to critique her by saying that such ignorance was her father's fault for not teaching her about the epic.

Sonakshi Sinha didn't take this lying down. She took to Instagram Stories to address Khanna directly, urging him to stop using the same incident for media attention at the expense of her and her family. She defended her father's role in her upbringing, stating, "It's because of those values that I have only said what I said, very respectfully, after you decided to make some distasteful statements about my upbringing." This response has garnered support from fans and critics alike, who see it as a stand against unwarranted personal attacks under the guise of cultural critique.

Shatrughan Sinha also came to his daughter's defense in past, questioning Khanna's authority on Hindu culture and religion, essentially asking who appointed him the "guardian" of Hindu mythology. This incident has not only highlighted the personal impact of public critique but has also opened up a dialogue on the expectations from public figures in terms of their knowledge of national heritage.

This ongoing feud has sparked debates on social media about the relevance of such critiques, the role of elders in educating the youth about cultural heritage, and the line between constructive criticism and personal attacks. The controversy serves as a reminder of how quickly public discourse can shift from entertainment to cultural commentary, affecting both the criticized and the criticizer