MUMBAI — Actor Akshay Kumar used his platform on the game show Wheel of Fortune to call out racial discrimination against Indians from the Northeast. A contestant recounted being taunted as ‘coronavirus’ amid the pandemic, prompting Kumar to voice strong support and reveal a touching anecdote about one of his own team members.

The incident unfolded when the contestant, who hails from the region, described the pain of enduring mocking slurs and insensitive jokes. Kumar paused the game to address the issue directly. ‘This has to stop,’ he said, according to viewers who shared clips online. He then opened up about his longtime staff member from Manipur, who has worked with him for years despite facing daily racism in Mumbai.

Kumar recounted how the staffer once confided in him about the constant barrage of derogatory names like ‘Nepali’ or ‘Chinese,’ regardless of his actual identity as a Manipuri. The actor emphasized the humanity of his colleague, praising his loyalty and hard work. ‘He’s like family to me,’ Kumar added, visibly moved. The moment, captured in a viral video, drew applause from the studio audience and praise from social media users nationwide.

People from Northeast India—states including Assam, Manipur, Nagaland, Mizoram, Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Tripura and Sikkim—have long reported discrimination in mainland cities. Common slurs reference their East Asian features, with spikes during events like the COVID-19 outbreak when some were wrongly labeled as virus carriers. Activists have documented hundreds of such cases, pushing for stricter hate speech laws.

Kumar’s intervention adds to a string of celebrity voices raising awareness. Last year, singer Sonu Nigam and cricketer Yuvraj Singh spoke against similar biases. On Wheel of Fortune, which Kumar hosts on Sony Entertainment Television, the actor has previously tackled social issues, from mental health to women’s safety.

Viewers flooded Twitter and Instagram with support. One post read, ‘Akshay sir, thank you for using your voice—finally someone big gets it.’ Hashtags like #StopNortheastRacism trended in India for hours after the episode aired on October 10, 2024. The show’s producers have not commented, but clips amassed over 2 million views within 24 hours.

Manipur, the staff member’s home state, has seen ethnic tensions flare recently between Meitei and Kuki communities, displacing thousands. Kumar did not link his story to those events but focused on everyday prejudice in urban India. Rights groups welcomed his remarks as a step toward broader dialogue.

The actor, known for films like ‘OMG 2’ and ‘Sooryavanshi,’ continues filming the season. His stance resonated especially in the Northeast, where local media hailed him as an ally. No official response has come from authorities on tackling such discrimination, though past complaints to police often yield little action, according to affected communities.