Katrina Kaif: 'I apologise for Rahul Gandhi comments'

Katrina Kaif has apologised for describing the President of the Indian National Congress Party Rahul Gandhi as 'half-Indian'.

The actress made the statement when asked about her own nationality. According to an IANS source she responded to the question, saying: "Rahul Gandhi is half Indian-half Italian. So what?"

Kaif said that she had been misunderstood and that she did not mean to hurt anyone when asked to explain her comment.

"The comment has been misconstrued, the comment has been taken out of context, but having said that if I have caused any hurt to anyone, I deeply apologise, I had not the intention [to hurt anyone] at all," she said.

Kaif further explained: "I would also request the media to please not make a controversial issue out of something that was not said with any malice."

The Tees Maar Khan star, who is half British, faced criticism early in her career for her poor Hindi.

She has reportedly been taking regular Hindi lessons and is now fluent in several South Asian languages.