There has been a lot of talk about a recent incident on an Air India trip from Kolkata to Mumbai. A passenger said that a fellow passenger threatened him for not speaking Marathi.
On October 23, Mahi Khan, the passenger, posted video of the argument with an unknown woman on his Instagram account (@mahinergy). Khan said that the woman started threatening him when he refused to speak Marathi.
The Fight
In the video that Khan uploaded, the woman says something in a language that sounds like a demand: “Yes.” You should know Marathi if you’re coming to Mumbai. When Khan asked her directly, “You’re telling me that I need to speak in Marathi?” she stood by what she said.
Khan said in his caption that the woman was in seat 16A and started yelling that he “have to speak in Marathi because I’m flying to Mumbai.”
Khan said he addressed the woman about her “bad behavior” (“Kya Badtameezi Hai Yeh”) and called for help from the Air India crew. The woman is said to have made things worse in front of the crew by threatening him with the words, “I’ll show you what badtameezi is (I’ll show you what misbehaviour is).” The woman wouldn’t say her name on camera.
Passenger Calls for Action
In a later video, Khan said that the woman had threatened him directly and questioned the attitude of people who try to force language regulations on others in 2025.
“I recorded everything,” he said, “because this isn’t just about me; it’s about the way of thinking that is becoming dangerously normal.” He emphasized the tenets of personal autonomy, stating, “You cannot impose a language.” You can’t force respect.
Khan finished his tweet by demanding Air India to punish the co-passenger harshly.
Media has asked both Khan and Air India for official remarks, and the report will be updated as soon as they get back to us.