Actor Prosenjit Chatterjee has issued a heartfelt apology after facing backlash over a recent comment he made about speaking in Bengali at a national-level media event. The veteran actor took to Instagram to share a detailed statement in Bengali, where he clarified the context behind his remark and addressed the hurt caused by it.

Prosenjit explained that the incident occurred during a media interaction at the trailer launch of his upcoming film Maalik at a theatre in Juhu, Mumbai. During the event, where most of the cast and crew were communicating in English, a journalist from Bengal asked him a question in Bengali.

Prosenjit said that although he has known the journalist for a long time, he hesitated to respond in Bengali as he felt the rest of the audience wouldn’t understand. “That is why I asked what was the point in asking the question in Bengali,” he wrote.

However, this particular comment did not sit well with many Bengali-speaking fans and social media users, who interpreted it as a slight against his mother tongue. Addressing this, Prosenjit said in his statement, “Now that the specific sentence of mine has been shared, there have been many who are hurt by it. I am also hurt, I am still hurting. Because I did not anticipate the response to my statement.”

He went on to say that perhaps his use of English words created confusion, but he could never imagine insulting Bengali. “Bengali is the language of my life and love. Bengali is the language of my soul. The judgment of Bengali people has always been paramount to me and it always will be, till my last breath,” he added.

Concluding his note, he offered a sincere apology: “I understand that my words have hurt many of you, and for that, I am sorry. I have shared with you the context and my thoughts.”

Prosenjit will be seen in a key role in Maalik, which stars Rajkummar Rao and Manushi Chhillar and is slated for release on July 11.