MUMBAI: Recently, producer-author and entrepreneur Twinkle Khanna and actor Akshay Kumar announced that they will be auctioning the actual naval officer uniform Kumar wore in the film Rustom. The period thriller is based on the real-life incident of Naval officer K M Nanavati and businessman Prem Ahuja. The auction’s proceeds will support the cause of animal rescue and welfare.
Hi all ??♂️ I’m thrilled to announce that you can bid to win the actual naval officer uniform I wore in Rustom! Auction’s proceeds will support the cause of animal rescue and welfare. Place your bid at https://t.co/6Qr0LRnTFm! pic.twitter.com/FF23tlogs1
— Akshay Kumar (@akshaykumar) April 26, 2018
Despite the bid for the uniform going very high, Khanna received backlash for her action.
A social media user, Sandeep Ahlawat took to Twitter to share his two cents on actor turned columnist’s thoughts and said, ” If you even make a feeble attempt to auction this piece of costume in the garb of “UNIFORM” then I will drag you to the court. You touch our honour and we will give you a bloody nose.”
He went on to add, “Uniform is not a piece of cloth that a producer hands over to cinestars for enacting roles and make some quick bucks. The permission to wear Uniform comes from the office of the President of India. Uniform is earned with your blood, toil and sweat which is placed on the mortal remains of soldiers along with the tricolour.”
“Indian Armed forces wives (Army, Navy and Airforce) do not auction their husbands uniforms,” he said.
And this response to @mrsfunnybones ill advised idea to auction the Rustom costume comes from one of the finest men in uniform I know- Lt Col Sandeep Ahlawat. pic.twitter.com/lwDXuG0CLm
— Sandeep (@SandeepUnnithan) April 28, 2018
To this Twinkle, not one to remain quiet, responded that she believes in taking legal action instead of retaliating with ‘violent online threat’.
“As a society do we really think it’s all right to threaten a woman with bodily harm for trying to raise funds for a charity by auctioning a uniform used in a movie, a piece of film memorabilia.
“I will not retaliate with violent threats but by taking legal action,” Twinkle added.
As a society do we really think it’s all right to threaten a woman with bodily harm for trying to raise funds for a charity by auctioning a uniform used in a movie,a piece of film memorabilia ? I will not retaliate with violent threats but by taking legal action! #JaiHind https://t.co/OF7e5lTHel
— Twinkle Khanna (@mrsfunnybones) April 29, 2018
On auctioning the uniform, Akshay commented, “I am really happy that something so close to my heart — the costume I wore as Rustom Pavri, the character that got me the honour of the National Award — is being used for such a noble cause. Someone asked me why I would want to give up the costume, but my only answer was, what good is it to have it lying in the wardrobe? If it can give life to animals in need of treatment, there can’t be a bigger joy for me.”
Apart from Akshay’s uniform, Hrithik Roshan’s Krrish jacket and Anushka Sharma’s Ae Dil Hai Mushkil kurta are also up for grabs.
