Maalik: Prosenjit Chatterjee clarifies 'why are you asking me in Bengali' statement; 'I am sorry for that'
During an event for Maalik, Prosenjit Chatterjee questioned a journalist who asked him a question in Bengali and later faced backlash. Now, the actor has addressed this issue and apologised.
Last Updated: 05.30 PM, Jul 10, 2025
Prosenjit Chatterjee, a renowned Bengali actor who also worked in several Hindi films, is all set for the release of Maalik, starring Rajkummar Rao. A few days ago, he attended a press event along with the other cast of the film, and questioned a journalist who asked him a question in Bengali and said, 'Why are you asking me in Bengali?' After which, he faced major backlash on social media. On July 10, Prosenjit addressed this issue and apologised for the same.
Prosenjit Chatterjee apologizes for questioning reporter
On July 10, Prosenjit Chatterjee took to his Instagram account and shared a note in Bengali, addressing his recent statement, 'why are you asking me in Bengali' during a press event for Maalik. The clip went viral on social media, and he faced backlash.
He penned, “A few days ago, something I said — rather, a single sentence — has spread across social media. I would like to say something about that. I have been working mainly in the Bengali film industry for 42 years. Only in the past few years have I had the chance to work on pan-India projects. In similar lines, I recently attended the trailer launch of a Hindi film that I was a part of at Juhu PVR on July 1."
Further elaborating his statement, the actor wrote that the film’s director, artists, journalists and others present there were all primarily using English to converse and there was a Bengali journalist asked him a question in Bengali. He has known her for a while and is quite fond of her, too. He stated that since most of the people there did not understand Bengali properly, the actor thought that if he responded in the language, people present there might not understand him.
“That’s why I told her – ‘Why are you asking me in Bengali?’ Only this particular clip has been picked out and is circulating online. As a result, many have been hurt by this. I, too, was hurt and continue to feel hurt. I didn’t gauge the repercussions," he wrote.
His note further stated that he used a few English words and could not explain himself and believes this misunderstanding started from that day because he can’t imagine insulting his mother tongue. Calling Bengali the language of his soul, Prosenjit penned, "The feelings of people from my native place will always matter the most. This thought will continue to exist till my last breath."
“Lastly, I want to say that I know you have been extremely hurt by my words, and I am sorry for that. That’s all I had to say about what I felt about the incident. Stay well," he concluded.
About Maalik
Maalik is an upcoming Hindi action thriller starring Rajkummar Rao in the lead role. This film explores one man's rise to the underworld against a backdrop of social issues and high-stakes adventure. Directed by Pulkit, it features Rajkummar Rao as a character driven by ambition and power, navigating the complexities of crime and social issues. The cast also includes Huma Qureshi, Manushi Chhillar, Prosenjit Chatterjee, and others.
Catch Maalik in theatres on July 11, 2025.