Actor Jackie Shroff has pitched in on the ongoing controversy regarding India's name change to Bharat. At an event in Delhi last week, he was asked for his opinion on the issue, to which he said, "Naam badlenge, hum thodi badlenge? (The name can change, but we won't.)"
Jackie said, "Bharat bolna koi buri baat toh nahi hai. India hai toh India hai, Bharat hai toh Bharat hai. Mera naam Jackie hai, mujhe koi Jockey bolta hai, koi Jaykee bolta hai. Mere naam ko itna todd dete hain par main nahi badluga. Hum kaise badalege? Naam badlenge hum thodi badlege (There is nothing bad in calling it Bharat. India is India, Bharat is Bharat. My name is Jackie but some people call me Jockey of Jaykee. They mess up my name but I won't change who I am inside. Names could change but we won't)."
Controversy erupted when invitations extended by President Draupadi Murmu to heads of state, government, and chief ministers of states for an official banquet during the G20 Summit in New Delhi mentioned Bharat instead of India. This triggered speculation within political circles, particularly among members of the Opposition INDIA alliance.
Before Jackie, actor Amitabh Bachchan seemingly supported the name change as he took to X to tweet, "Bharat Mata ki Jai." Actress Kangana Ranaut, too, celebrated the name change by saying she was happy the country was finally giving up its "slave name."