On Wheel of Fortune India, Akshay Kumar addressed discrimination against people from the Northeast, calling out racism on national television. By bringing his makeup artist on stage, he turned the moment into a powerful statement on inclusion
Akshay Kumar
Bollywood actor Akshay Kumar is currently hosting the television game show Wheel of Fortune India. During one of the recent episodes, the host turned the mainstream entertainment platform into a space for social reckoning. He addressed racism faced by North-Eastern Indians for decades by fellow country people.
Akshay Kumar addresses racism against North-East Indians
What began as a contestant sharing her lived experience of racial abuse faced by people from the Northeast could easily have been brushed aside as an “uncomfortable moment.” Instead, Akshay leaned into it. He acknowledged it and then made his stand clear.
Rather than positioning himself as a distant ally, he made the issue personal. He called his makeup artist, Kin, who is from Manipur, onto the stage, breaking the invisible hierarchy that often separates “stars” from those who work behind the scenes.
“There is a boy with me who does my makeup and takes care of me. He is here — Kin.”
That gesture shifted the conversation to a truth he was directly privy to. When Kin recounted being mocked, stereotyped, and reduced to slurs such as “Chinese,” “Chinky,” and “Momo,” it was no longer an abstract issue. It unfolded before millions in real time.
Akshay did not dilute the moment with politeness or denial. “Today, after listening to you, I am convinced that these things happen,” he said.
He then addressed the nation on the show. “I want to tell all the people of India- there is discrimination against people from the Northeast. They are all Indians. They are as much Indians as I am, as you are, and as everyone sitting here.”
Akshay reminds contributions of Northeast Indians
He went further, reminding viewers of the contributions of the Northeast, referencing the Naga Regiment and their role in wars such as Kargil and Bangladesh.
“They have given their blood. They are Indians.”
The moment reflects a pattern that has defined Akshay Kumar’s career - from films tackling social taboos and systemic injustice to themes of nationalism, health, and gender equality. For him, entertainment is not divorced from responsibility.
By bringing Kin forward, naming discrimination plainly, and reaffirming belonging, Akshay used his platform to confront casual racism head-on. In a country that celebrates diversity in theory, it was a rare moment of moral clarity on prime-time television.
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