Video Editor: Puneet Bhatia
Several news outlets including Hindustan Times, News18, Brut, India Today and Mid-Day fell for a TikTok video by Bollywood actor Javed Hyder stating that due to financial difficulties, the actor has now turned to selling vegetables to make ends meet. The Quint, too, had published a story claiming the same.
Hyder is known for his roles in films like Ghulam, Dabangg 3, Welcome Back and others. In the video which went viral, the actor can be seen selling tomatoes on the streets while lip-syncing to the popular song ‘Duniya Mein Rehna Hai Toh Kaam Kar Pyaare.’
However, when we reached out to the actor he told us that he is “not selling vegetables to make ends meet but he made this video to motivate his followers to sail through these tough times.”
‘Amir Khan’s Co-Star Forced to Sell Vegetables’: Mainstream Media Misreports Javed Hyder’s TikTok Video
The actor had recently shared multiple videos of himself selling vegetables on streets on TikTok. One of those videos was shared by Bigg Boss fame, Dolly Bindra who tweeted: “He is an actor aaj woh sabzi bech raha hain javed hyder (sic)”
[Translation: He is an actor and today he’s selling vegetables. Javed Hyder]
The story was subsequently picked by several mainstream news outlets.
The video is also being widely circulated on Facebook with the same claim.
‘I Am Not Selling Vegetables for a Living’: Javed Hyder
“I recently joined TikTok and made a few videos as a vegetable seller, to motivate people,” Javed Hyder told The Quint.
“By god’s grace, I am not selling vegetables to earn a living. I downloaded TikTok and posed as a vegetable seller for a video which was widely shared and appreciated by people. When I made another video, Dolly Bindra shared it claiming that I have no work, due to which I am selling vegetables to make ends meet. This is not true.”Javed Hyder, Actor
The actor further added that there’s nothing wrong in selling vegetables, however, the video was made with the sole aim of motivating people who are facing hardships during this lockdown and he will continue doing so in the future.
Clearly, media houses jumped the gun in assuming that Javed Hyder has taken to selling vegetables after he faced difficulty in finding work in the industry.
(You can read all our coronavirus related fact-checked stories here.)
(Not convinced of a post or information you came across online and want it verified? Send us the details on Whatsapp at 9643651818, or e-mail it to us at webqoof@thequint.com and we'll fact-check it for you. You can also read all our fact-checked stories here.)
(At The Quint, we are answerable only to our audience. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member. Because the truth is worth it.)