Nagpur: How long ago was it that TV star Pratyusha Banerjee commit ed suicide and we had the entire country, not just the TV and film industry ruing over how badly female stars are often treated.
We’ve had such cases galore – from Bollywood, Tollywood, Chennai, Hyderabad, Banglore, Calcutta – you name a city that has studios and films being made, and I can name at least a couple of girls who have ended their lives in this profession.
We need not agonize over the reasons any more!
We have a LIVE example of the cabal that literally can hunt and haunt a successful single female actor ruthlessly and single mindedly.
Of course I am speaking of Kangana Ranaut, a three times National award winner but right now the recipient of many colourful negative epithets.
“Slut, bitch, witch – practising black magic – blackmailing leading hapless male stars..” are just a few of them.
All because she made the ‘mistake’ of calling ‘Superstar’ ( has been?) Hritik Roshan a “silly ex”.
Not only did the said ex Star react out of all proportion, dragging even the Pope into it, but it soon became an open sim-sim for anyone who had any grudge against the nubile, beautiful actress who had trail blazed her way into a very male dominated industry by dint of her sheer talent and hard work.
That she has not yet gone the way of Ziah Khan or Nafisa Joseph and decided to “end it all” speaks volumes for her courage and guts.
Whether it was an Aditya Pancholi who is old enough to be Kangana’s father to Adhyayan, to his parents – every ex boy friend of the actress is emerging from the cracks to make the most outrageous pot shots at her. And the film media is lapping it up, no questions asked. If ‘little boy’ Adhyayan is not ready to stand up for himself and is letting his parents go to town making scandalous statements against a woman he was madly in love with once, wonder what he is doing in the big bad world of Bollywood?? Does his mother pack a dubba for him and accompany him to his sets everyday, I wonder? (Haha – does he have any sets to go on in the first place?! Being known as Kangana’s boy friend has been his main claim to fame so far)
And when this witch hunt happens, how is our film industry reacting?
With studied silence! Even an actor like Vidya Balan who has essayed Silk Smitha’s role, a south Indian super star who took her own life many years ago, has scant sympathy to show.
She makes statements which seem very guarded and very politically correct.
“I really think it is none of my business to be judging anyone but I have the greatest admiration for Kangana because she is standing up for herself,” Vidya told reporters. Mind you, she was speaking at a function to promote her latest film, not at a do to support Kangana.
“I think that is very creditable because as women we find it very easy to stand up for other people, our family members, children, husbands, parents but we rarely stand up for ourselves. She (Kangana) is standing up for herself, so kudos to her and more power to her for that,” the Kahaani actress added.
. Amitabh Bachchan was also present at the event. When asked what he feels about the Tanu Weds Manu actress, who sat beside him during the National Awards Ceremony recently, the 73-year-old Piku star was more cautious in his reply.
“Can’t decide the behaviour of a person or what he or she is going through, by sitting beside them. But I appreciate that women are empowered, they stand on their feet. We’ve always believed that women should have their own strength. Fifty per cent of the nation’s population, so there should be as many women and that much strength should be there. They should have importance in society and we have always believed that,” he said.
Really Papa Bachan?! Your daughter in law is an actor too; God forbid tomorrow her ex boy friends begin targeting her, is that all you will have to say?
Sad state of affairs indeed. When the whole world is celebrating Mother’s Day with such touching messages for womankind, I wonder why daughters are treated so differently?!
…. Sunita Mudaliar (Associate Editor)
