Chennai: Bollywood star Ranbir Kapoor has apologized for a slip of the tongue during a Dussehra celebration in Kolkata that set social media buzzing, clarifying at a Chennai event on October 21 that he meant to say good always triumphs over evil — not the opposite. The actor, who plays Lord Rama in the upcoming two-part epic Ramayana, quoted a line from his own film Rockstar while laughing off the viral gaffe.
What happened at the Kolkata Dussehra event
The incident took place on Tuesday, October 20, 2026, when Kapoor attended a Dussehra celebration organized by the Salt Lake Sanskritik Sansad at Central Park in Salt Lake, Kolkata, around the theme Ram Er Ayodhya – Ram Ki Ayodhya. Producer Namit Malhotra, director Nitesh Tiwari, and actor Ravie Dubey were also present, according to Gulf News (via ANI).
Addressing the crowd, Kapoor said, "Burai kitni bhi taqatwar kyun na ho, aakhir mein ant sachchai aur achchai ki hi hoti hai" — "No matter how powerful evil may be, in the end, truth and goodness meet their end." The use of the word ant (end) instead of jeet (victory) appeared to reverse the message he intended to convey. Clips of the speech circulated widely online, drawing reactions and trolling — especially notable because Kapoor portrays Lord Rama, the embodiment of righteousness, in Ramayana.
The Chennai apology — and a Rockstar quote
Kapoor addressed the incident at a grand musical event in Chennai on October 21, where the full album launch of Ramayana was held, with A. R. Rahman performing the film's songs live. "I would like to take this opportunity to apologise for the incident that happened yesterday. I was at the Dussehra event, and I had a slip of the tongue," he said, per Bollywood Hungama.
Explaining what he meant to say, he corrected it in Hindi: "Burai chahe kitne bhi taaqatwar kyun na ho, aakhir mein jeet sachhai aur achhai ki hi hogi" — no matter how powerful evil may be, truth and goodness will ultimately prevail. Then, in a playful turn, he referenced his 2011 film Rockstar, whose music Rahman also composed: "Jo bhi main kehna chahoon, barbaad karein alfaaz mere" — "Whatever I wish to say, my words end up ruining it." Co-stars Yash, Sai Pallavi, Rakul Preet Singh, and Ravie Dubey attended the Chennai event alongside the actor.
Why the slip mattered
The misstep struck a chord online partly because of timing: Kapoor is weeks away from leading one of Indian cinema's most ambitious projects. Ramayana: Part 1 releases in cinemas worldwide on November 5, 2026, in Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, and Malayalam, with an IMAX presentation planned, while the second installment is slated for Diwali 2027. The film is produced by Namit Malhotra's Prime Focus Studios with DNEG and Yash's Monster Mind Creations, with Sai Pallavi as Sita, Yash as Ravana, Sunny Deol as Hanuman, and Ravie Dubey as Lakshman.
For now, the actor's self-deprecating apology appears to have defused the moment. As one viral slip turned into a headline about a headline, Kapoor's takeaway was simple: even Lord Rama's portrayer can trip over a single word.
Watch: Ranbir Kapoor issues apology after his Dussehra speech sparks social media buzz — video of the actor addressing the viral Kolkata speech clip and quoting Rockstar at the Ramayana event in Chennai.
Music in this post's reel: Kevin MacLeod - Life of Riley (incompetech.com), licensed under CC BY 3.0