Bollywood star Akshay Kumar faced intense trolling on Kaun Banega Crorepati 18 after struggling with a question about the Battle of Tarain, despite having played Samrat Prithviraj Chauhan on screen.

  • Akshay Kumar expressed confusion over the Battle of Tarain during a KBC 18 episode.
  • The actor previously headlined the 2022 biopic 'Samrat Prithviraj'.
  • Netizens criticized the actor's lack of historical knowledge regarding the role he played.

Bollywood superstar Akshay Kumar found himself in the spotlight for all the wrong reasons during a recent episode of Kaun Banega Crorepati 18 (KBC 18). Despite having portrayed the legendary king Samrat Prithviraj Chauhan in a major feature film, the actor appeared visibly stumped by a question regarding the Battle of Tarain.

During the episode, hosted by the legendary Amitabh Bachchan, Akshay Kumar was a guest alongside Saif Ali Khan to promote their upcoming film, 'Haiwaan'. The duo was presented with a 'Maha Sawaal', a high-stakes question without multiple-choice options. The question posed was: "Which Indian ruler was victorious in the first Battle of Tarain?"

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The moment of confusion arose when Akshay Kumar, instead of providing a confident historical answer, joked about his limited knowledge. He remarked, "I have heard of Train to Busan, not Battle of Tarain," referring to the popular South Korean film. While he eventually guessed Prithviraj Chauhan correctly, the hesitation left a lasting impression on the audience.

Why This Matters

BozokMedia analysis shows that this incident highlights a growing disconnect between cinematic portrayals of history and the actual depth of knowledge possessed by the actors portraying these figures. For an audience that values historical accuracy, such lapses can diminish the perceived authenticity of a performance.

When an actor embodies a historical icon, the public expects more than just a performance; they expect a connection to the legacy being portrayed.

The backlash on social media platforms like Reddit was immediate. Users expressed disappointment, with some labeling him a "teleprompter star," suggesting that his performance in the 2022 biopic 'Samrat Prithviraj' might have lacked the necessary research. One user noted, "Kinda sad that we couldn’t get an actor who was at least pretending to be passionate to play the role of such a historic figure."

This irony is heightened by the fact that during the promotion of 'Samrat Prithviraj', Akshay Kumar had himself appealed to the authorities to revise history textbooks. He had argued that Indian history books focus too heavily on invaders and not enough on great Indian Maharajas like Prithviraj Chauhan. Seeing him struggle with a fundamental question about that very history has sparked significant debate online.

Did You Know?: The Battle of Tarain was a series of battles fought between the Ghurid dynasty and the Chauhans, which significantly altered the course of Indian history.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Which film did Akshay Kumar play Prithviraj Chauhan in?
Akshay Kumar played the titular role in the 2022 historical drama 'Samrat Prithviraj'.

2. Who was Akshay Kumar's co-guest on KBC 18?
Saif Ali Khan accompanied Akshay Kumar on the KBC set to promote their film 'Haiwaan'.