Bollywood actor Ranbir Kapoor has apologised for a verbal slip during a Dussehra celebration in Kolkata after a video of his speech went viral on social media. The actor addressed the controversy on October 21, 2026, during the grand musical event and full-album launch of his upcoming film Ramayana in Chennai. According to reports , Ranbir acknowledged his mistake and clarified that he had not intended to alter the festival’s message about the triumph of good over evil.
The incident took place on October 20 at a Dussehra event organised by Salt Lake Sanskritik Sansad at Central Park in Kolkata. While addressing the gathering, Ranbir spoke about the significance of the festival and said that no matter how powerful evil might be, truth and goodness would ultimately prevail. However, he mistakenly used the word “ant” (end) instead of “jeet” (victory), making his statement sound as though truth and goodness would eventually perish. The unusual wording quickly attracted attention online, with social media users sharing the video and commenting on the unintended meaning of his remarks.
Addressing the issue at the Chennai event, Ranbir said, “I would like to take this opportunity to apologise for an incident that happened yesterday. I was at a Dussehra event and I had a slip of the tongue.” He then corrected his statement, explaining that he meant to say that no matter how powerful evil becomes, goodness and truth will ultimately triumph. The actor also referred to his 2011 film Rockstar, which featured music composed by A. R. Rahman, and quoted the line, “Jo bhi main kehna chahoon, barbaad karein alfaaz mere.” The lyric, which reflects the difficulty of expressing oneself through words, added a light-hearted touch to his apology.
The incident comes as Ranbir continues promoting Ramayana, directed by Nitesh Tiwari. The film features Ranbir as Lord Rama, Sai Pallavi as Sita and Yash as Ravana, with Sunny Deol playing Hanuman. The Dussehra speech drew additional attention because the festival itself celebrates the victory of good over evil, a central theme of the epic. According to reports, the film’s first instalment is scheduled for a worldwide theatrical release on November 5, 2026