The recent Kolkata rape case has taken the country by storm, and rightfully so. There is a lot of debate on women’s safety and the need for new laws. Mostly, it has filled all of us with utmost rage. As we stand in solidarity with Moumita Debnath, the 31-year-old trainee doctor who was raped and murdered, we are also well aware of what’s happening on the internet. People are speaking in volumes, expressing their shock and grief. While this lot has always been ‘woke’, we also see the Bollywood celebs standing in the queue. As much as their concerns fill us with hope and strength to fight for justice, it also begs a new question. What’s up with Bollywood’s selective activism?

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Bollywood and its selective activism

People should choose to stand with what is right in every sense, but what if they remain selective about the same? Simply put, Bollywood celebrities are quick with the trend if it keeps them safe and secure. As long as a trend doesn’t hurt them, celebs will be all over it. Unfortunately, social issues have also become just another trend in Bollywood.

You must have seen different posts, tweets, and Instagram stories of Kareena Kapoor, Alia Bhatt, Hrithik Roshan, and Priyanka Chopra extending their support to Moumita’s family. At the same time, we also see filmmakers like Sandeep Reddy Vanga ticking all the boxes of the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) with films that propagate violence against women.

Yes we need to evolve into a society where we ALL feel equally safe. But that is going to take decades. It’s going to hopefully happen with sensitizing and empowering our sons and daughters. The next generations will be better. We will get there. Eventually. But what in the…

— Hrithik Roshan (@iHrithik) August 15, 2024

There is a vast difference between the death of a woman due to sexual violence and a movie that promotes violence. But in a society like ours, where media plays a huge role in shaping the minds of the youth, calling out movies like Animal and Kabir Singh is crucial. Unfortunately, these movies do not only star influential actors who stand by their film’s message, but the rest of Bollywood also helps promote them further. Now that smells of hypocrisy.

Ayushmann Khurrana’s recent poetry video has touched the hearts of millions on the internet. Undoubtedly, he does make complete sense through the poem “Kaash mai bhi ladka hoti”, reflecting on the plight of every woman. Right on his heels, another talented actor, Farhan Akhtar, put out his poem with the caption, “In memory of a young doctor”. Shabana Azmi even reposted the poem, applauding her son’s craft.

 

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A post shared by Ayushmann Khurrana (@ayushmannk)

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A post shared by Shabana Azmi (@azmishabana18)

However, these are the same actors who remain silent spectators in the case of other incidents that don’t receive too much limelight, like the state of Kuki-Zo’s women community in Manipur facing brutalities and ethnic unrest at the hands of Meitei men. Are the lives of Dalit women not worth their attention? 

These same actors stay silent when movies like Animal and Kabir Singh are released, applauding them and calling them amazing. It’s a rare day in Bollywood when an actor, director or producer dares to call out the violence and misogyny in films. And when someone like Kiran Rao speaks up against such films, even if it means criticising a fellow filmmaker, she would face backlash and trolling.

In fact, currently, Mallika Sherawat’s interview from a decade ago is making rounds on the internet again. She questions the media who ask her views about the then ongoing rape cases and then condemns her when she speaks up openly. “As a woman, I should lie about the state of women that’s in our country?“, she said. This part of the industry hardly receives any support from others when they come forward to speak up. News doesn’t have to be “trending” for a celebrity to support a victim or call out a culprit. It can reach the audience if an influential person takes the first initiative.

Moreover, there have been numerous other societal issues that have come up, and time and again, they have been met with silence from the so-called influential people. With a strong background and a hold over the public, Bollywood celebrities are aware of their strength and influence. Bollywood’s reaction to the Kolkata rape case is admirable, but the same support needs to be extended to other incidents that demand it.

Speaking up about something wrong is important, but so is standing by people who raise their voices against injustice. It’s high time celebrities also learn that.

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