Emraan Hashmi’s name became linked to one of the most talked-about moments in Koffee With Karan history after the actor made a blunt remark about Aishwarya Rai Bachchan during the show’s rapid-fire round.
The comment came in 2014, when Emraan appeared on the popular chat show and was asked to associate a celebrity with the word “plastic”. He answered with Aishwarya’s name.
The remark quickly became controversial, with the actor facing criticism for his choice of words. Years later, Emraan revisited the incident and acknowledged that he regretted making the comment.
What Did Emraan Hashmi Say About Aishwarya Rai?
During the rapid-fire segment of Koffee With Karan, Emraan was asked to name a celebrity he associated with the word “plastic”.
He responded with Aishwarya Rai Bachchan’s name.
The answer was made in the context of a game designed around quick and often provocative responses, but it attracted considerable attention once the episode aired.
The remark remained associated with Emraan for years, even as the actor continued to build his career across films and streaming projects.
Emraan Later Apologised for the Remark
While promoting his OTT series Showtime in 2025, Emraan was asked about the controversial answer during an interview with Lallantop.
The actor did not attempt to dismiss the comment. Instead, he said that he regretted it.
“I regret it. I keep saying that I have the utmost respect for everyone I spoke about. I regret it because it was distasteful,” Emraan said.
He explained that the rapid-fire segment was intended to be taken as a game and that his primary motivation at the time was winning the show’s hamper.
“At that time, I just wanted to win the hamper and I ended up saying what I said,” he added.
Emraan also suggested that the atmosphere around celebrity comments and social media has changed significantly since the episode originally aired.
‘I Would Love to Meet Her and Apologise’
The actor also recalled being a fan of Aishwarya long before his controversial Koffee With Karan appearance.
Speaking about his admiration for her, Emraan remembered waiting for hours during the early years of his career simply to catch a glimpse of the actress following the success of Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam.
“I was a huge fan,” he recalled, adding that he still admired her.
Emraan said he would like to meet Aishwarya personally and apologise if his comment had offended her.
“I would love to meet her and apologise if she felt bad about it. I will have to meet her and ask her. I am sorry if I offended you,” he said.
Emraan Says He Had to ‘Bear the Brunt’
The controversy did not disappear immediately after the episode.
In a 2024 conversation with Bollywood Bubble, Emraan reflected on the reaction to his appearance and said he had faced consequences for his blunt answer.
He recalled that even people on the Koffee With Karan set were surprised when he gave the answer.
According to Emraan, host Karan Johar initially wondered whether the response should remain in the episode. The comment ultimately stayed in the broadcast, turning a brief rapid-fire answer into one of the most remembered moments from his appearance.
The actor later described the experience as something he had to “bear the brunt” of for a considerable period.
What Did Aishwarya Rai Say About Being Called ‘Plastic’?
Aishwarya Rai did not publicly engage in a direct back-and-forth with Emraan over the comment.
However, in a 2019 Filmfare interview, she was asked about the harshest comment she had received about herself.
Aishwarya identified being described as “fake and plastic” as among the most hurtful remarks directed at her.
She did not use the interview to launch a personal response against Emraan, but her comments showed that the description had remained a notable criticism in discussions surrounding her public image.
Emraan Hashmi’s Career Has Moved Far Beyond That Controversy
The Koffee With Karan episode is now more than a decade old, and Emraan’s career has gone through several phases since then.
Known initially for films such as Murder, Gangster, Jannat and Awarapan, the actor subsequently expanded his filmography with projects across crime, action, drama and thriller genres.
His recent work includes Awarapan 2, the sequel to his 2007 film Awarapan.
Directed by Nitin Kakkar, the film features Emraan alongside Disha Patani, Shabana Azmi and Suvinder Vicky.
The sequel marks Emraan’s return to the character associated with one of the more memorable films from his earlier career.
A Controversial Answer That Became a Career Footnote
Emraan’s “plastic” remark remains one of the more widely remembered celebrity moments from Koffee With Karan, largely because of how directly he answered a deliberately provocative question.
But the actor’s subsequent comments have changed the context around the incident. Rather than continuing to defend the remark, he has repeatedly acknowledged that he regrets the choice of words and has expressed respect for Aishwarya.
More than a decade later, Emraan’s own explanation is straightforward: he was playing a rapid-fire game, wanted to win the hamper and gave an answer that he later came to regard as distasteful.
