Serbian tennis player Dejana Radanovic, who was in India recently as part of three International Tennis Federation tournaments, is facing backlash for her racist comments about India.

In a series of social media posts, Radanovic criticised the “food, traffic and hygiene” of India.

In one of her posts, Radanovic, who spent nearly two weeks in the country, wrote, “Adios India. See you never ever ever ever EVER again,” along with an image of the airport.

Upon reaching Munich, Radanovic shared another post that read, “Hello civilization. Only those who have experienced something like India for 3 weeks can understand the feeling.”

About the traffic she wrote, “But I gotta admit that they are amazing drivers and traffic was interesting sometimes. You may never know how your day will look like, what is going to happen and everyone is honking all the time, like in traffic rush game.” 

Amidst mounting backlash about the posts, Radanovic has shared another Instagram Stories update, seemingly explaining her stance. Radanovic has maintained that her comments were not about the people of India but about the country and therefore, cannot be called racist.

She wrote, “Omg can’t believe what things we need to talk about really. I didn’t like India – the country. I didn’t like the food, traffic, hygiene (worms in the food, yellow pillows and dirty bed linen in the hotel, not knowing how to use a roundabout etc.)

Further, Radanovic wrote, “If you come to my country, Serbia, and you don’t like all those same things, that means you are a racist??? What the hell does that have to do with racism?! I have friends of all nationalities and colours so don’t go there cause it’s an absolute NONSENSE!”

Radanovic, 27, participated in three W50 events in Pune, Bengaluru, and Indore during her Indian tour.

12th Fail surprises with box office success, gaining acclaim from critics and fans. The film’s release on OTT platforms boosts its popularity, turning its actors into instant stars. Medha Shankr, known for her role as Shraddha, gains a large following and is dubbed the national crush. Recently, she shared photos from her first screen test for the film two years ago, marking a nostalgic moment in her career.

On Friday, Medha took to Instagram and shared some throwback photos of herself dressed in a gorgeous red outfit, exuding elegance and beauty. These images capture the moment she had her screen test for the movie 12th Fail. One of the photos shows her with Vikrant Massey, taken during a photoshoot that followed.

Sharing the pictures, she got nostalgic about her screen test and wrote, “9th February 2022. This day two years ago, I gave my first screen test for #12thFail and the rest is history. The last picture was taken right after an intense scene we did (you can see my eyes swollen from all the crying). Other pictures are from a photo shoot we did later. My most special day. Grateful beyond measure.”

12th Fail is directed by Vidhu Vinod Chopra and tells the true story of IPS officer Manoj Kumar Sharma, played by Vikrant Massey. It follows Sharma’s journey, from facing failure in his Class 12 exams to ultimately achieving his dream of becoming an IPS officer, showcasing his unwavering determination along the way.

See Also: Exclusive: Medha Shankr on working with Vikrant Massey, Vidhu Vinod Chopra and more in 12th Fail 

Irrfan Khan, a beloved Bollywood actor, passed away in 2020, leaving many saddened. His son, Babil Khan, is rising in Bollywood with his acting talent. Babil often shares memories of his late father and recently posted about how much he misses him.

On Saturday, Babil took to Instagram and penned an emotional note, remembering his father, late actor Irrfan Khan. Sharing Irrfan’s pic, he wrote, “Nobody knew him like I did, nobody has known me like he did. It’s easy to say, to miss him, it’s easy. It’s easy to be cathartic and cry about losing him. It’s easy. Do you know what is hard?”

“To remember the ecstasy in his voice when he would raise it in exaltation to scream “BABILUUUU!!!” every single time he’d see me. To remember then, how painful it would be to lose him for the stretches of barren time when he would be away shooting. It is impossible to bear the memory of how his beard felt on my fingers when I would scratch his cheek as he read his script or how my fingertips would rest gently on his eyelids when he took a nap. His voice was brilliantly deep, yet it evoked nothing but a gentle prayer from me, a prayer that could only rise from one’s within when an external force has calmed your existential jitters to stillness,” he added.

Concluding the note, he added, “I wish I could have one last dance with you. ‘And to tell you, that without your lessons, I never would have survived.’ I will look for you. I will find you again. Somewhere. Beyond.”

Babil Khan made his Bollywood debut with the film Qala. He was also seen in The Railway Men, starring alongside Kay Kay Menon, R. Madhavan, Divyenndu, and others. This web series, consisting of four parts and released on November 18, is centred around the Bhopal Gas Tragedy.

See Also: Babil Khan says shooting with Kay Kay Menon helped him cope with the loss of Irrfan Khan