Turkish actor Hande Erçel has clarified that she never referred to Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan as ‘uncle,’ putting an end to widespread speculation on social media. The controversy arose after a video from the Joy Awards in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on January 17, went viral. In the clip, Hande was filming her friend and co-host Amina Khalil, but a screengrab falsely suggested that she had called Shah Rukh Khan ‘uncle’ on her Instagram stories.
Addressing the rumours, Hande stated, “This is fake,” clarifying that she was simply filming Amina Khalil and had no intention of making any comment about Shah Rukh Khan. Fans of both actors expressed support for Hande, calling the spread of misinformation “embarrassing” and apologizing for the unnecessary drama.
Shah Rukh Khan, last seen in Pathaan, Jawan, and Dunki (2023), is currently filming King, directed by Siddharth Anand, which also stars his daughter Suhana Khan, Deepika Padukone, and Abhishek Bachchan.