Randeep Hooda removed as UN ambassador after sexist joke

Bollywood actor Randeep Hooda is being called out for sexism after an old video started to resurface showing him ridiculing politician Mayawati, Hindustan Times has reported.

“I think I will tell a very dirty joke,” Randeep says in the video and goes on to make derogatory remarks about Mayawati, the former chief minister of Uttar Pradesh.

if this does not explain how casteist and sexist this society is, especially towards dalit women, i don’t know what will. the “joke”, the audacity, the crowd. randeep hooda, top bollywood actor talking about a dalit woman, who has been the voice of the oppressed. pic.twitter.com/lVxTJKnj53

— Agatha Srishtie please DM with SOS tweets (@SrishtyRanjan) May 25, 2021

The video, which is now being widely circulated on Twitter, is nine years old and many celebrities are calling Randeep out, including Richa Chadha.

“It’s a despicable joke,” said Richa. “It’s crass, tasteless, and sexist.”

It’s a despicable “joke”. It’s crass, tasteless and sexist. https://t.co/eUqrl46dtY

— TheRichaChadha (@RichaChadha) May 28, 2021

She wondered why women are always asked to apologise for their men colleagues while they “pontificate on sexism”.

“Not holding my breath,” Richa remarked.

Yes. It’s casteist too.
Also, plz explain to the reason why you continue to ask ONLY women to apologise for their male colleagues while you pontificate on sexism.
Not holding my breath. https://t.co/yexyzpvgGx

— TheRichaChadha (@RichaChadha) May 28, 2021

Randeep has been removed as the ambassador of Convention for the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals.

“The CMS Secretariat finds the comments made in the video to be offensive, and they do not reflect the values of the CMS Secretariat or the United Nations,” CMS said in a statement. “Mr. Hooda no longer serves as a CMS ambassador.”

This is not the first time a Bollywood actor has made sexist remarks. Amitabh Bachchan once called IMF Chief Economist Gita Gopinath “too beautiful to be an economist”. Karan Johar and Ranvir Singh have been criticised too for abusive comments in 2014 during a YouTube show with one of the highest viewerships.

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