Neeraj Chopra has made his country proud by winning India’s first track and field gold medal at the Tokyo Olympics 2020, held from July to August this year. Ever since Chopra has returned to India, he has become a national sensation. Almost everyone in the media industry, whether it be print, digital, electronic or even radio wants Neeraj Chopra to have an interview with them. Chopra has also become only the second man to win individual gold at the Olympics for India after Abhinav Bindra. Naturally, he is wanted by everybody now. Talk shows, interviews, TV appearances – let’s just say the gold medallist is in high demand.
Neeraj Chopra recently gave an interview to the Indian Express. The interview was going well until ‘designer’ Rajeev Sethi popped in with a question for the Olympics superstar. Rajeev Sethi, who was awarded the ‘Padma Bhushan’ by the Congress government in the year 1985, asked Neeraj Chopra a question that has outraged Indians. It left Chopra seething with anger, and the gold medallist conveyed the same to Sethi in no uncertain terms. Such was the atmosphere created by that one ridiculous question that the Indian Express host had to step in and make it clear that Chopra was not interested in answering the question.
The Question
Rajeev Sethi first showered praises on Neeraj Chopra for his physical appearance, saying, “What a handsome young man you are!” Then, the Padma Bhushan awardee went on to ask, “How do you maintain a balance between your sex life and athletic training? I know this is a weird question.”Rajeev Sethi did not stop there and proceeded to elaborate his question in further detail. Sethi also lied, as he said that crores of Indians are eagerly awaiting a response on Neeraj Chopra’s “sex life.” It was done with the intent of justifying his cheap questions, but it did not fare well in front of Neeraj Chopra.
Chopra said “sorry” at least two times in a sarcastic tone, making it known that he had no intention of answering such a ridiculous question posed by a class elitist who thinks he can blabber just about anything in front of a young man who happens to belong to a modest family of Haryana. Chopra was visibly disgusted and said that his heart was overwhelmed by the cheap question.
https://twitter.com/rose_k01/status/1433825977667182592?s=20
Media persons need to recognise that @Neeraj_chopra1 is a national icon. They need to treat him with respect irrespective of his age or background. The repeated instances of casual disrespect are a reflection of a deep-rooted class bias.
— Sanjeev Sanyal (@sanjeevsanyal) September 4, 2021
Not the first time Neeraj Chopra has faced such cheap behaviour after his Olympic victory
In August, Neeraj Chopra appeared for a virtual talk with RJ Malishka Mendosa and her colleagues on Red FM. While Chopra thought that he would have a sophisticated talk with the radio jockeys and share his experience with them, what soon became of the virtual talk, was a repulsing and sick cringe-fest. To put it very simply, the bunch of women ‘Adam teased’ Neeraj Chopra, making him very uncomfortable, while the hosts themselves ended up looking like buffoons.
Read more: The ‘Adam Teasing’ of 23 Years old Neeraj Chopra by 40 years old RJ Malishka is reprehensible
Despite Chopra looking uncomfortable, the radio jockey with her team was seen dancing to the tunes of ‘Ude jab jab zulfein teri, kuwaariyon ka dilmachle.’ After making awkward sounds following her dance blitzkrieg, Malishka went on to ask Chopra to come closer to his screen, so that they can both have what she called a “jaadu ki jhappi”. To this travesty of a demand, Neeraj Chopra replied saying, “Namaste aise door se he.”
What Plagues Indian Elites?
Indian elites are compulsively inclined toward belittling fellow Indians who come from small towns, villages and have humble beginnings. Indian aristocracies and liberals have a constant urge to unleash the world of ‘modernity’ before lesser beings like Neeraj Chopra – who might not know about the lifestyle of elitism, but who should, according to them, imbibe it now that they have emerged as celebrities.
Yet, these elites, liberals and charlatans will not find the courage to probe celebrities who come from upper middle class or affluent backgrounds with similar questions. They will also not pose such ridiculous questions to celebrities who have been born and brought up in big cities, or towns, as for them they are ‘modern’. This shows how Indian elites have brazen prejudice against people from villages and small towns, especially those who are not fluent in the English language. Rajeev Sethi’s question to Neeraj Chopra also shows how Indian liberals view ‘sex’ as the penultimate test of ‘modernity.
Neeraj Chopra must be commended for not losing his temper when faced with such preposterous situations. Chopra handled the situation perfectly, and Rajeev Sethi was left looking like the buffoon that he most certainly is.