Indian TV host slapped on-air for wearing a 'short dress' [VIDEO]

Gauhar Khan holds the side of her face after being slapped on the set of "India's Raw Star."Bollywood Life video screenshot

An Indian television host was assaulted on-air for wearing a "short dress" while appearing on a singing competition on Sunday.

Gauhar Khan, host of "India's Raw Star," was slapped in the face after an audience member took offense to her costume.

The incident occurred at the Film City studio complex in Mumbai, where the season finale of "Raw Star" was filming. According to The Mirror, there were 2,500 people in the audience, and 250 security guards on hand.

Despite the show of force, Mohammed Akil Malik managed to get on stage and strike Khan, who was visibly shaken by the assault. Footage recorded after the attack shows a man walking away from Khan with his hand in the air.

Khan held the side of her face and screamed before being ushered off the stage by crew members.

Malik, 24, was apprehended by police, and explained the reason for his unprovoked assault.

"Being a Muslim woman, she should not have worn such a short dress," he told Mumbai police.

At the time of the assault, Khan was wearing a long, form-fitting, evening gown that was largely backless. Malik admitted to watching Khan for three days, and did not like the clothes she wore to the television shoots.

While Khan declined to speak about the attack, her boyfriend, actor Kushal Tandon, condemned Malik's actions.

"What happened is disgusting," he said. "It is the production house's fault as it's their responsibility to ensure the security of the cast and crew. I feel the security wasn't tight enough or else how would a guy just walk up to a celebrity like this?

"What if he had a knife or acid in hand? There should have been bouncers on the stage. We are going to take it up strongly; we will not leave this guy!"

Malik was scheduled to appear in Boriwali Court on Monday.

Bollywood Life