Rampal battles fire of agiary visit

Actor apologises after receiving hate mail for comments on entering a fire temple as a child

Actor apologises after receiving hate mail for comments on entering a fire temple as a child

Actor Arjun Rampal never imagined that a nostalgic comment to a magazine about entering a fire temple as a child would embroil him in an ugly controversy.

Only Parsis are allowed to enter a fire temple. Ironically, Rampal, a Punjabi, is married to Mehr Jessia, a Parsi.

Deeply upset

Speaking from London, Arjun said, "I am deeply upset and concerned about the reaction towards my statement.

Agnipariksha: Arjun Rampal is married to Mehr Jessia, a Parsi.

I was around eight years old when I wandered into the compound of a fire temple while playing with friends.

I was caught and allowed to go because I was mistaken as a Parsi by the caretaker."
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He added, "I hold Parsis in high respect. If my actions have hurt anyone's sentiments, I deeply apologise."

Arjun is upset that Mehr'su00a0family has had to deal with nasty comments. "I am sad my wife's family has had to deal with unpleasant calls and mails for no fault of theirs," he said.
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But Arjun's critics are not pacified. "Arjun is boasting about going into a fire temple and that has hurt the community.
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If you break a signal you don't boast about it. You should be prosecuted. He has done something wrong and shouldn't brag about it.

We are a peace-loving community and want people to respect our views," said Dinshaw Mehta of the Bombay Parsi Panchayat (BPP).
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But BPP's Jimmy Mistry said, "The controversy has been blown out of proportion and words have been taken out of context. It's a non-issue."