Bijou ThaangJam Says Karan Johar, Vasan Bala Yet To Reach Out Amid Jigra Controversy, Asks What's 'Chinky-Looking' Grammar | EXCL

Bijou ThaangJam has raised a poignant issue. Known for his illustrious career spanning over a decade, the actor sparked a conversation around the discrimination faced by North Eastern artistes in the Hindi film industry. While Jigra was just one of the examples, Bijou’s concern lies deeper.

Bijou ThaangJam on Jigra controversy After the release of Jigra, starring Alia Bhatt and Vedang Raina, Bijou put out his grievance regarding casting directors on social media, leading to a widespread debate. With the hope for a better and changed future, Bijou spoke to Zoom exclusively about dealing with derogatory remarks that come primarily from the casting companies and production houses. In the interview, he clarified that Jigra was just one of the few examples and he had no intention to level allegations or accuse Karan Johar, Vasan Bala and the cast of the jailbreak drama. When asked whether the core team reached out to him after sharing his side of the story, Bijou said, “No one reached out to me. I don’t even expect anyone to reach out. What I wrote on social media is from an actor’s point of view. It is not only for Jigra. It is generic. I wasn’t putting any allegation or accusation on Jigra’s team.” ALSO READ: Bijou, who has been a part of several Hindi films including Mary Kom, revealed on social media that after blocking his dates for Jigra, the casting team never called him for the shoot. Owing to the ‘unprofessionalism’, he had to let go of other assignments. Discrimination against North East actorsTalking to us, he added, “In the first statement I shared, I mentioned how North Eastern actors are being treated. I got messages from casting directors saying they’re casting ‘Chinky looking’, ‘Chinese looking’ actors. I don't even understand what kind of grammar is that?” Bijou further shared, “Even for Jigra, though I haven’t watched the film yet, I was told that the film is set in a fictional Asian country that refers to Singapore and was casting actors to suit the ethnicity. You have to be flexible as actors but not stereotypical characters. You can’t play different personalities in this way.” Shedding light on the hardships and struggles faced by North Eastern actors, Bijou highlighted that they’re subjected to derogatory terms and remarks. Even on sets, the treatment is bad. He shared, “Wherever I go, I always face such discrimination. It is either with the production team or with the director’s teams. The treatment is different.” The actor went on to reveal that the co-star gets a proper vanity van and they’re ‘cramped up into some normal green room.’