Why India loves porn, but secretly hates actor Sunny Leone
Mindsets can be dangerous mine fields. In a country, where a sweeper remains a sweeper down generations, it is difficult to understand that a job description does not define who the person is. And this inability to accept the inherent dignity of labour creates both painful and hilarious situations.
By her choice of profession and the unabashed ownership of her sexuality and body, Sunny Leone proves perhaps the most perplexing persona to that great tranche of Indians whose minds haven’t quite migrated to the 21st century.
A large majority of men seem to believe she will begin seducing them in a flash.
Others hate her for making them admit they adore porn while they would prefer to pretend they don’t — all the while mainlining those clips straight to the groin. The whole notion of an actress doing the job she’s signed on to pay her bills simply seems unfathomable.
There seems to be a special love-hate relationship between Sunny Leone and my home state of Karnataka.
Most notably, she was denied permission to perform at a New Year’s event scheduled for the 31st last year at White Orchid Convention Centre, as her presence was seen as a probably cause for a law and order situation. Uncontrollable mobs at Kochi at a prior event were cited as reasonable risk assessment.
The latest brouhaha involves Sunny Leone in the role of a mythological princess in an ambitious Rs 100 crore multi-lingual film project, Veeramahadevi.
On November 3, Ms Leone’s performance of a dance sequence from the film at a private event was being threatened by those who oppose her being cast as what is seen to be a powerful historical figure.
Karnataka Rakshana Vedike is a regional outfit committed to the protection of Kannada and the interests of Kannadigas.
The fears of isolation are not unfounded.
All regional Indian languages are on the decline with the proliferation of English, seen as a passport to better living standards.
The Kannadiga identity today is not as integral as state capital Bengaluru transforms rapidly into a global multicultural metropolis.
November 1 is celebrated as Karnataka Rajyotsava, the day the kingdom of Mysore was reconstituted as our proud state. While the yellow and red flags were hoisted all over the city and flown on vehicles, we are witnessing a steady decline in that form of regional pride or fervour.
And much must be done to ensure that Kannada literature, art, culture, music and other performing arts, including regional variations in worship and lifestyle, are preserved.
Purists are not all wrong. The Indian populace is not mentally ready for the Internet and, yet, for the price of a handset, all of it is available in each pocket. Watching porn is now a national pastime. It has sparked virulent misogyny and a completely unreal understanding of women and sexuality.
The essential question is how do we integrate varied strands into harmonious living?
To some, the answer is censorship, including curtailing the star power of those who contribute to the porn industry.
To others, the answer is in elevating public discourses from power-based interactions to knowledge-centric ones.
Ultimately, censorship does not belong in a mature democracy.
The best possible outcomes have resulted from this rather complex set of issues. Coming to the table with a sense of maturity and compromise, Karnataka Rakshana Vedike suspended their planned protest at the event venue and the event went off smoothly. The intention is to still protest the casting choices of the film though.
Ultimately, these face-offs ensure both Ms Leone and the Vedike remain newsworthy. What each party represents helps us reassess the faultlines of our democracy as well.
Also Read: Is there anything sacrilegious about Sunny Leone’s ‘Kaur’ past?