Very shameful: Sonu Sood slams Kangana Ranaut's 'gutter' remark, defends Gen Z

Actor Sonu Sood has responded to the controversy over BJP MP and actor Kangana Ranaut's remark on Gen Z protesters, calling it "shameful," and saying young people should be treated with respect because they are the ones who shape the success of public figures. Speaking to reporters during a press conference on Wednesday, Sonu said he had not initially heard Kangana's comments, but stressed that public support is what ultimately decides a person's standing, regardless of profession.

His remarks came after Kangana's social media posts on Gen Z protesters who had gathered at Delhi's Jantar Mantar and other places drew criticism online. In those posts, she described the protesters' conduct and language as "puke-inducing" and called them "Generation Gutter", prompting objections from several public figures and social media users.

Sonu said, "I haven't heard her statement. But I feel that these young people are the ones who make actors, and they are the ones who help you reach this position." He added, "As long as they stand by you, you will continue to thrive. If they are not with you, it becomes difficult. That's why everyone should be taken along."

Reflecting on the link between public figures and the people who support them, he said, "Whatever your profession may be, whether you are an actor, a doctor, or anything else, your existence in this world has meaning only as long as people are connected with



you."

When a reporter told him that Kangana had allegedly referred to Gen Z as "Generation Gutter", Sonu said, "If she has said that, then I think it is very shameful. It should not have been said." He also urged people in public life to be careful about the words they use, saying, "There is a saying, 'Tol mol ke bol' (weigh your words before speaking). It is very important to think carefully before you speak because the public is another form of God."

The row began with a series of posts by Kangana reacting to videos from the protests. "Never in my life have I seen so much ugliness in one place. These reels from Gen Z protests are puke-inducing. The way they speak and the kind of language they are using... never in my life have I seen everything in each and every frame so jarring and so crass all at once," she wrote. She went on to allege that the protesters were misusing the freedom they enjoyed and accused them of glorifying substance abuse while depending on their parents financially.

Kangana also wrote, "I call them Generation Gutter. Some of them have nothing to offer to the system. They are not good at studies. They are so ugly and corrupt that they can't even be homemakers." Her remarks have since drawn widespread criticism online, while Sonu Sood has said such language should not have been used and that young people, whose support shapes public life, should be spoken to with care and respect.