A cheeky comment from television actor Kushal Tandon on the reality show The Alliance has set off a storm on social media. Choreographer and content creator Zaid Darbar is also part of Kunal Kemmu's show, and the series has stayed in the headlines from the start thanks to its running controversies, with Kushal and Zaid drawing an especially large share of attention. A clip from the latest episode is now going viral, showing Kushal Tandon joking about his old relationship with Gauahar Khan while talking to Zaid Darbar, who chooses to stay silent through it all. That silence, more than the joke itself, is what has pulled Zaid into the crosshairs of trolls, with many viewers unhappy that he did not stand up for his wife.
A gym chat that spiralled into controversy
In the viral clip, Kushal Tandon is seen chatting with Mini Mathur in the gym area, where he claims he scored a big win over Zaid Darbar the previous night. When Mini asks what happened, it is Zaid himself who explains that he had asked Kushal for a cigarette because the one he had turned out to be useless. Hearing this, Kushal quips, 'You only like all my things.' The line instantly reminded viewers of Gauahar Khan, whom Kushal once dated and who is now married to Zaid Darbar. Since Gauahar and Zaid's marriage has long been public knowledge, Kushal's remark reopened old chatter about his history with Gauahar. What stood out was that Zaid neither hit back at the joke nor showed any visible irritation, and that non-reaction is exactly what left netizens more unsettled. To many watching, the moment felt less like a throwaway gag between contestants and more like a pointed callback to a relationship that predates the show itself.
Arsalan Goni steps in to defuse the moment
Mini Mathur looks visibly stunned after hearing Kushal's comment, while Zaid Darbar remains completely quiet. It is at this point that Arsalan Goni, who has entered The Alliance as Kushal's partner, interrupts the conversation. As part of Kushal's team on the show, Arsalan wastes no time telling both Kushal and Zaid that comments like this should not be made on the show. Kushal responds with, 'It was a joke.' Despite that, the clip kept spreading rapidly across social media, and both Kushal Tandon and Zaid Darbar found themselves being called out by furious netizens for how the exchange played out on camera.
Social media users did not hold back
Reacting to the viral clip, one user wrote, 'These people have really sunk low! Comparing your kids' mother to something is disgusting!' Another commented, 'I think Gauahar's husband is at fault here. What a spineless man. How can he himself joke about his wife like this?' Someone else remarked, 'The way Zaid is talking is more wrong.' One user asked, 'How can he tolerate a joke like this while being a husband?' Amid all the sharp reactions, several users praised Arsalan Goni for trying to stop the conversation instead of laughing along with it, calling him the only one in the room who handled the moment properly. The clip continues to circulate widely, and reactions keep piling up, with both Kushal's joke and Zaid's silence being dissected minute by minute across social media timelines.
