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‘My name is Anna and I am not a transgender’
... says the girl, who features in Akshay Kumar’s latest video that had led to Akki being accused of mocking the LGBTQ community
When actor Akshay
Kumar (above) posted a video on Instagram promoting Sidharth Malhotra’s film, A Gentleman, little did he know that it would land him in trouble. The video shows him standing outside a washroom for men, and a sari-clad woman comes out and says, “Be a gentleman Akki, give me side.” The actor looks all puzzled and reacts, “Ye log bhi?”
Ever since the video went viral, several reports did the rounds accusing Akshay of mocking transgenders and being insensitive towards the LGBTQ community. However, on contacting the woman featured in Akki’s video, we learned that she is an assistant choreographer named Anna from Mumbai, who has been working with choreographer Ganesh Acharya for seven years. Also, she is a member of the dance crew for Akshay’s next film, Gold, currently being shot in London.
In an exclusive interview with HT, sounding extremely upset, she says, “I am a girl. I am not a transgender. I’ve been hearing all sorts of nasty things and I don’t care who has written what, but this is disgusting. After these [false] reports, people are calling me a she man and I won’t accept it.”
Anna says such rumours can ruin her personal and professional life. “I have to get married someday and for someone who doesn’t know me, they will think that I am a she man.”
Rubbishing reports that Akshay was making fun of the transgender community, Anna defends him saying, “There was nothing wrong — neither the intention nor the video. If anybody, who is sensible, will watch the video will say ladki kya kar rahi hai men’s toilet mein. It’s only someone’s filthy mind, who has given the video, this sad
ANNA CLARIFIES THAT THE VIDEO WAS MADE PURELY FOR FUN, AND AKSHAY KUMAR HAD WANTED TO DO THIS FOR HIS FRIEND, SIDHARTH MALHOTRA
twist. [Also] If I felt that he was mocking any community, I would have been a fool to do that in the first place.”
monika.rawal@htlive.com