Shiv Sena (UBT) ad actor demands apology from BJP leader who called him ‘porn star’

Mumbai: Actor Pyarali aka Raj Nayani has threatened a legal action against Maharashtra BJP leader Chitra Wagh for labelling him as a ‘porn star.’ He has demanded a public apology from her threatening to file a defamation case if she fails to do so.

Wagh, who is also the state president of the Maharashtra BJP women’s wing, in a press conference on Thursday had alleged that the actor featured in the advertisement released by the Shiv Sena (UBT), Raj Nayani, was a porn star. She had also presented pictures of Nayani in a compromising pose with a female actress in a scene from his adult web series. The Uddhav Thackeray-led Sena was trying to inculcate a culture of porn, pub and party in Maharashtra, she alleged.

Reacting to it, Nayani on Friday came out with a video, in which he accused Wagh tarnishing his image for her political gains. He also clarified that the images presented by Wagh were from a web series role and not indicative of his personal character.

In the video, Nayani stated, “I am a character actor. Chitra Wagh should take her words back for insulting an artist. She should apologize or I will be compelled to file a defamation claim against her.”

Replying to the BJP leader’s claims, Nayani said, "Chitra Wagh is an educated woman. When an artist works in a movie or show, they have to portray characters according to the needs of the role. She should know this."

He further commented, “She used pictures from a web series I had worked on and claimed that I was a porn star. This claim has offended me and she has defamed me by calling my acting porn.”

“I worked on the Shiv Sena (UBT) group's advertisement. She looked up my previous work and assumed that I must be a porn actor. The photos that she displayed in the press conference were from the web series I had worked on, it was part of my role,” Nayani said.

Despite various attempts, Wagh could not be reached for her comments.