Indian Fans Force Apology from Thai Actors Over “Bollywood Hero” Stereotype on Talk Show

AKD 3 min read

By Entertainment Desk
Published: October 9, 2026

Thai actors Fourth Nattawat and Gemini Norawit have apologised after a segment on the Thai late-night talk show Katanyu Tonight sparked backlash from Indian viewers who accused the performers of perpetuating racist stereotypes about Indians and Bollywood.

During the episode, which aired October 8, Fourth was blindfolded and asked to act out the prompt “Bollywood Hero” through gestures while the other participants guessed the answer. His performance — which featured exaggerated head bobbing and dramatic hand movements — drew laughter from the studio audience, with Gemini also seen laughing.

However, clips of the segment quickly circulated on social media, where Indian viewers expressed outrage. Critics said the portrayal reinforced tired and offensive stereotypes about Indian people and Bollywood stars.

“Racism gets ignored so easily if it’s directed towards Indians,” one social media user wrote in a post that was widely shared. Another commented: “What Fourth, Pond and Gemini did was racist and disgusting,” while a third questioned the humour, writing: “I don’t understand what’s so funny here.”

Under mounting pressure, both actors took to X (formerly Twitter) to issue apologies.

Fourth clarified that he had no intention of mocking any race. “I really confirm that it was just playing a game. However, I want to sincerely apologise from the bottom of my heart if there was any behaviour that hurt anyone’s feelings, no matter who it may be. Especially if Indian fans, it will be an important lesson for self-improvement going forward,” he wrote.

Gemini followed with his own statement: “I apologise for the incident that occurred and the negative feelings that arose from my actions. I understand that the image that was shared may have made many people feel uncomfortable or misunderstood.” He further stressed that he had “no intention of mocking the issue currently being discussed, nor did I intend to belittle, disparage, or demean any country, culture, or people in any way.”

The Celebrities, the production team behind Katanyu Tonight — which is hosted by Katanyu Sawangsri — also issued a formal apology to both the actors and viewers whose sentiments were hurt by the segment.

In its statement, the team said: “Our team never intended to mock or disrespect any race, culture, or group of people.” It added that it had taken the feedback seriously and would learn from the experience to be “more thoughtful and careful” in future content creation.

The production team also announced that the segment would be removed from the show, calling the move a step toward taking full responsibility for the incident.

The controversy has reignited discussion on social media about the selective application of accountability when it comes to racism directed at South Asians. While the segment appeared to amuse those present in the studio, the reaction online underscored a growing intolerance among global audiences — and Indian diaspora communities in particular — for portrayals that reduce Indian culture to caricature.

The rapid response from both the actors and the production team reflects the increasing influence of social media in holding public figures accountable across borders. Within roughly 48 hours of the episode airing, apologies were issued and the segment was pulled.

Source: The Indian Express, published October 9, 2026.