Kusha Kapila has released a statement about her appearance on the roast show, acknowledging that it was a rookie mistake and admitting that she should have anticipated the outcome.Actor and content creator Kusha Kapila has found herself at the center of controversy following her appearance on a Roast Show on YouTube. During the show, stand-up comedians such as Samay Raina, Aaditya Kulshreshth, Shreya Priyam Roy, and Gurleen Pannu made jokes about her, including some related to her recent divorce from Zorawar Singh Ahluwalia. In response to the backlash and concerns from her female and queer fans, Kusha has started to clarify her position regarding her involvement in the roast.
Kusha Kapila says jokes were not shared beforehand and were dehumanising
In a statement to Hindustan Times, Kusha Kapila expressed that she had been unaware of what awaited her on the show. She acknowledged that she should have requested a script beforehand but had not done so because friends were involved, which she referred to as a “rookie mistake”.
The Thank You For Coming actress mentioned that while she endured some harsh jokes in front of a live audience and technicians, she was uncomfortable with the idea of those jokes reaching millions of people, especially since some were “blatantly dehumanising and shockingly unkind”.
She added that if she had prevented the episode from airing, she would have been labeled a coward and subjected to a different kind of trolling. Over the past six months of negotiations, she had been told that she deserved those jokes and that, as a divorced woman, she should have anticipated them.Kusha reflected that perhaps she should have foreseen this and that remaining silent might be seen as cowardice, but she viewed it as choosing peace over an endless discourse likely to villainize women.
Kusha Kapila asserts everyone has boundaries
Kapila noted that this was technically the third roast of her career and mentioned, with a hint of humor, that she would never participate in one again without knowing what to expect. She recalled that the previous two roasts had been wonderful experiences, and this one could have been as well if everyone involved had been aware of what might come their way.
She emphasized that everyone has their own boundaries, which are valid and should be respected. Although she participated in the roast, she did not agree with everything that emerged from it. She expressed pride in not walking out and finding the courage to perform despite the harsh treatment she received.