Mumbai: A clip showing actor Saif Ali Khan and film critic Anupama Chopra laughing after Saif referenced Javier Bardem’s “Free Palestine” remark at the Oscars has drawn widespread online criticism.
The exchange occurred during an interview when Chopra said she often uses a particular Bardem quote while interviewing actors. Before she named it, Saif interjected, “Is it ‘Free Palestine’?” Chopra laughed and Saif joined in; she later clarified the quote she meant was different.
The brief moment, which Saif introduced, has been widely shared on social media and provoked anger from users who said the remark trivialised a slogan tied to the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. Critics argued that turning the phrase into a joke was insensitive given reports of extensive civilian casualties, mass displacement and damage to infrastructure in the conflict.
Some viewers singled out Chopra for laughing along, while others criticised Saif for making the reference. Supporters of Bardem’s stance say “Free Palestine” has become a call for human rights and protection of civilians, making its casual use by public figures especially contentious.
Neither Saif Ali Khan nor Anupama Chopra has issued a public statement in response to the backlash.