Congress Leader Sparks Row, Calls Madhuri Dixit ‘Second-Tier Actor’
Jaipur, 13th March 2025: New Delhi: The political storm over the International Indian Film Academy (IIFA) Awards, held in Jaipur last weekend, has intensified after Congress leader Tikaram Jully made controversial remarks about Bollywood icon Madhuri Dixit. Jully dismissed Dixit as a “second-tier actor,” asserting that her era in the film industry had come to an end.
The controversy erupted following reports that the BJP-led Rajasthan government allocated over ₹100 crore for the IIFA event, drawing sharp criticism from the opposition Congress.
As the Leader of the Opposition in Rajasthan, Jully accused the state government of prioritizing lavish entertainment expenditures over crucial religious and developmental projects. He pointed out that while the administration frequently invokes “Sanatan” values, it failed to allocate similar funding for prominent temples like Khatu Shyam Ji and Govind Dev Ji.
“This government speaks of Sanatan Dharma but couldn’t grant ₹100 crore for Khatu Shyam Ji or ₹120 crore for Govind Dev Ji. However, they swiftly approved ₹100 crore for a film awards ceremony,” Jully remarked.
He also took aim at the event’s lineup, arguing that apart from Shah Rukh Khan, no major Bollywood personalities attended, which, in his view, diminished the event’s significance.
“When someone mentioned Madhuri Dixit, I simply responded, ‘She is in the second tier now. Her time has passed.’ No major stars showed up. If Amitabh Bachchan wasn’t there, what’s left to say?” Jully added.
Further criticizing the event’s impact, Jully questioned the benefits Rajasthan gained from hosting IIFA. “Passes worth ₹7 lakh were distributed for free, using taxpayers’ money. How did Rajasthan benefit? The stars didn’t even visit tourist attractions, and the common people got nothing in return,” he argued.
Sonu Nigam’s Absence Sparks Further Controversy
Adding another dimension to the debate, Jully also questioned why acclaimed singer Sonu Nigam was left out of the IIFA event. He referenced a prior incident where Nigam had criticized Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma for walking out of his concert in Jaipur.
“What changed in a month? Sonu Nigam was invited for ‘Rajasthan Rising,’ but not for IIFA. He should have been there—he’s a talented singer,” Jully stated.
Nigam, who had previously voiced his displeasure over the government’s treatment during his Jaipur performance, later took to social media to express frustration with IIFA. He accused the organizers of snubbing him in the Best Male Playback Singer nominations, sharing a screenshot of the nominee list with a sarcastic note: “Thank you IIFA… After all, you had to answer to the Rajasthan bureaucracy.”
