Dear Bollywood, not every occasion is right for you to score populist points
At a time when we are experiencing a moment as grave as the Pulwama attack, we don't need Bollywood stars to add to the chaotic noise.
Social media is now teeming with sudden defence experts offering their two cents on the Pulwama attack. The last thing we needed to add to this was Bollywood personalities meddling with sentiments as well — and doing what they can very well do for the rest of the year, which is blowing their own trumpets mostly.
Kangana Ranaut, who is justifiably riding high on the success of Manikarnika, can claim that she has to blow her own trumpet because no one else will — for her — in the nepotism-ridden film industry. But there has to be a limit to everything. Not every issue is for footage, dear Kangana and dear Bollywood.
Whenever something massive or this sudden happens, it’s a standard practice in the media to report how the film industry reacts. Because they have a huge fan following. People listen to them — and people get influenced.
A number of celebratory programmes were cancelled across the country after over 40 CRPF personnel lost their lives in a brutal terrorist attack in Pulwama, J&K. These cancelleations were just an act of solidarity — a very tiny sacrifice, an expression nonetheless of shock and of grief.
Kangana Ranaut cancelling Manikarnika’s success party, and Javed Akhtar-Shabana Azmi cancelling their two-day visit to a literature fest in Karachi, are both absolutely how it should have been. There were no brownie points here to score.
But Kangana Ranaut apparently found one.
“Pakistan has not only violated our nation’s security. They have also attacked our dignity by openly threatening and humiliating us. We need to take decisive actions, or else our silence will be misunderstood for our cowardice… Bharat is bleeding today. The killing of our sons is like a dagger in our gut; anyone who lectures about non-violence and peace at this time should be painted black, put on a donkey and slapped by everyone on the streets,” she reportedly said.
But that was not enough. Calling out Shabana Azmi for accepting the invitation to Pakistan, she said, “They are the ones who promote Bharat Tere Tukde Honge gangs… why did they organise an event in Karachi in the first place when Pakistani artistes have been banned after Uri attacks?
Kangana even apparently said that the “film industry is full of such anti-nationals who boost enemies’ morals in many ways, but right now is the time to focus on decisive actions…”
We are grateful that the war of words didn’t proceed much beyond as Shabana Azmi concluded it by saying ‘May God bless her’.
But then, there was actor Suchitra Krishnamoorthi suddenly spewing rage on Twitter, and then deleting it.
Dear Bollywood, if you can’t act responsibly, please keep quiet. Moments of such gravity require precisely that. Gravity. Either show us that. Or just desist.
In any case, your movies will make money.