Babil's video widely misinterpreted, taken out of context: actor's team

A video of Babil Khan, in which he appears to be emotionally distressed, has been "widely misinterpreted and taken out of context", the actor's team said on Sunday.

In the official statement, which was also posted on Instagram by his mother-producer Sutapa Sikdar, his team further said the actor -- who has been vocal about his mental health struggles -- was having a difficult day.

"Over the past few years, Babil Khan has earned immense love and appreciation for his work, as well as for his openness about his mental health journey. Like anyone else, Babil is allowed to have difficult days — and this was one of them. We want to reassure all his well-wishers that he is safe and will be feeling better soon.

"That said, a video of Babil has been widely misinterpreted and taken out of context. In the clip, Babil was sincerely acknowledging a few of his peers whom he believes are making meaningful contributions to the evolving landscape of Indian cinema," Babil's team said in the statement.

In a series of purported video clips, Babil was seen crying inconsolably and calling Bollywood "the fakest place". According to reports, the videos were posted on the "Qala" actor's now deactivated Instagram account.

Those clips, however, are still doing the rounds on Reddit, a social news aggregation and forum social media platform.

In the statement, Babil's team also urged media publications and the public to consider "the full context of his words rather than drawing conclusions from fragmented video clips".

Earlier this week, Babil remembered his father, actor Irrfan Khan on his fifth death anniversary in an emotional social media post.

"With you, without you. Life goes on... With me, without me. Soon I’ll be there. With you, not without you. And we will run together, and fly, Drink from waterfalls, pink not blue. I will hug you so tight, and I will cry, Then we’ll laugh, just like we used to. I miss you," he wrote on April 30.

Many film personalities, including Raghav Juyal and Siddhant Chaturvedi, voiced their support for Babil and re-shared the statement shared by the actor's team on their respective Instagram pages.

"Kill" breakout star Raghav said: "Babil is my family and I am always with him no matter what."

Siddhant shared an old clip of Babil in which the latter can be heard saying: "Mujhe itihaas likhna hai, kitaab nahin (I want to write history, not a book)"

Later on his Instagram Story, the "Gully Boy" star asked social media users and gossip columnists to "stop looking for drama here".

"All of us are working hard to bring drama to you on your screens. Shayad wahan thodi kami reh gai hogi ki aap hamari neeji zindagi mein wo dhoondhne lage ho? (Maybe there was some shortcoming there that's why you're trying to find drama in our personal life)" Siddhant wrote, requesting people to steer clear of passing judgements.

Actor Kubbra Sait of "Sacred Games" fame said Babil was already navigating stardom, the public gaze, and all its pressures, before he could even process the grief of losing his father.

"No one teaches you how to navigate these big waters. But of course-we swim. We keep swimming. Just like Babil will. And when he comes up for air, I know-like many of us-I'll be there. Here's a reminder to all of us: Be kind," Kubbra wrote.

"Sanam Teri Kasam" star Harshvardhan Rane called on Babil to carry on Irrfan Khan's legacy.

"Please just give your best to the craft, and after that 'stay away from events and after parties.' so as to avoid interaction with irritants... Pls take care (sic)" he wrote on his Instagram Story.

Babil was most recently seen in "Log Out", a ZEE5 cyber thriller that explores the dark side of social media fame.