Debate Sparks Over Marathi Actor’s Son’s Name Amid Poll Season
Debate Sparks Over Marathi Actor's Son's Name Amid Poll Season
Amidst the election fervour, the name of Marathi actor Chinmay Mandlekar’s 11-year-old son has ignited a heated debate on social media, touching upon political sentiments.
Mandlekar declared on Sunday that he would no longer portray Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj due to online harassment over naming his son “Jehangir”. This issue has become a point of contention between supporters of different political ideologies, with both right-wing and Congress backers weighing in.
Jehangir, the name of Mandlekar’s son, shares its roots with India’s historical figures as he was the fourth Mughal emperor, while Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, the Maratha warrior king, is renowned for his conflicts with the Mughal Empire.
In a video statement, Mandlekar’s wife, Neha Joshi-Mandlekar, explained that they chose the name Jehangir because it means “conqueror of the world” in Persian. However, the recent online trolling has taken a toll on their family emotionally and mentally.
Expressing his distress, Mandlekar announced his decision to step away from roles portraying Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. His decision garnered support from Shalini Thackeray, the general secretary of MNS Working President, who condemned the trolling and urged Mandlekar to ignore the negative comments.
While some, like actor Kiran Mane who recently joined Shiv Sena, downplayed the trolling, others, such as Congress supporter Pratik S Patil, criticized Mandlekar’s past film choices like “Kashmir Files”.
Nevertheless, several personalities from the Marathi film industry, including Avdhoot Gupte, Rutuja Deshmukh, Mandar Bhide, Ravi Jadhav, and Siddharth Chandekar, have rallied behind the Mandlekar family, showing solidarity on social media.
