Siddharth apologizes to Saina Nehwal

Indian actor Siddharth apologizes to Saina Nehwal for sexist tweet

An Indian actor has apologized to badminton star Saina Nehwal after his "sexist" tweet to her kicked up a social media storm.

Siddharth, who uses only one name, said he was trying to make a "rude joke" in response to a tweet by Nehwal.

But his "tone and words" couldn't be justified, he added in an apology tweeted on Tuesday night.

Siddharth's tweet had drawn outrage for an alleged sexual slur, a charge the actor denies.

The controversy began when Siddharth responded to a tweet by Nehwal on a security breach faced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi last week.

Nehwal, who joined the BJP in 2020, tweeted that she strongly condemned the "cowardly attack on PM Modi by anarchists", without naming anybody in particular.

Siddharth, a critic of Mr. Modi, then quote-tweeted her comment with: "Subtle cock champion of the world... Thank God we have protectors of India."

The 6 January tweet began gaining attention over the weekend and soon drew outrage from all sides of the political spectrum for the alleged sexual wordplay on Nehwal's sport.

Singer Chinmayi Sripada, who has often spoken about the harassment faced by women, told Siddharth the comment was "crass".

"You just contributed to what a lot of us women are fighting against," she said.

India's National Commission for Women (NCW) even wrote to Twitter, asking them to block Siddharth's account.

It also wrote to police in Maharashtra state, where the actor is based, asking them to take action against him.

Siddharth then attempted to clarify his tweet, saying he was referring to the idiom "cock and bull".

"Reading otherwise is unfair and leading! Nothing disrespectful was intended, said, or insinuated. Period," he tweeted on 10 January.

Dear @NSaina pic.twitter.com/plkqxVKVxY

— Siddharth (@Actor_Siddharth) January 11, 2022