Swara Bhasker: Comments were obviously a joke

Swara Bhasker reacts after being criticised for language used for a child.

Swara Bhasker has addressed criticism after she used cuss words to describe a child artiste, saying that her words, though "ill-advised," were used "jokingly and self-deprecatingly" and that she has "never abused children or any co-actor." Bhasker, 31, was pulled up on social media last week after she appeared on a comedy talk show.

In the course of the show, she used swear words while relating how outraged she felt when a four-year-old co-star called her 'aunty' while filming an advertisement. She has said her comment was "obviously a joke" and points out that she was on a comic show. "I was on a comedy show, narrating a funny incident about my first experience shooting in Mumbai.

In that partly exaggerated and satirical narration, where I was using a comedic, adult and self-deprecating tone, I used certain swear words." Asked if the issue was blown out of proportion, she said, "Of course. The controversy was clearly constructed. I'm not trying to justify swearing. Those were undoubtedly an ill-advised choice of words, but they were not seriously used."

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