NEW DELHI: A Rs 100 crore defamation lawsuit filed against actress and television personality Khushi Mukherjee has triggered widespread debate across social media and cricket circles ahead of a major ICC event. The case was initiated on January 13 by Mumbai-based social media personality Faizan Ansari, who claims Mukherjee’s remarks about India’s T20 captain Suryakumar Yadav were false, defamatory and damaging to the cricketer’s public image.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!The controversy began when Mukherjee, during a public interaction while responding to a question about dating cricketers, claimed that several players had shown interest in her. In that context, she mentioned Suryakumar Yadav, suggesting that he had contacted her in the past. Although she maintained that there was no romantic relationship, the comments quickly went viral and sparked backlash, particularly from fans of the Indian team.
Ansari reacted strongly, alleging that the statements were fabricated and made purely for publicity. He filed a formal complaint at the Ghazipur police station and travelled from Mumbai to pursue the registration of a case. Calling the remarks harmful to a “nationally respected sportsperson”, Ansari demanded strict action and announced a defamation suit worth Rs 100 crore. He also went a step further, stating that he would seek a prison sentence of at least seven years if the claims were proven baseless.
Poll
Do you believe Khushi Mukherjee’s comments about Suryakumar Yadav were damaging?
Addressing the media, Ansari said he had submitted a detailed written complaint and would remain in Ghazipur until legal proceedings were initiated. He justified the scale of the lawsuit by saying it was filed after careful legal consultation and cited previous high-profile defamation cases handled by his team. He also said he would publicly apologise if Mukherjee could produce proof to back her claims, but until then urged people across the country to stand in solidarity with Suryakumar Yadav.As the backlash intensified, Mukherjee moved to clarify her position. In subsequent interviews, including an interaction with NDTV, she said her words had been misinterpreted and sensationalised. “Can’t we talk as friends?” she asked, firmly denying any romantic relationship with the Indian captain. She claimed any past communication was casual, friendly and limited, adding that they have not been in contact for a long time, including after the controversy erupted.Mukherjee also stated that her social media account had been compromised and reiterated her support for Suryakumar Yadav and Team India ahead of the upcoming World Cup.
About the Author
