We have long known that Bollywood is a closed, insular, almost incestuous world where star kids get a shot at show biz (several if the first few are unsuccessful) regardless of talent, ability and originality. ‘Outsiders’ such as Kangana Ranaut sometimes challenge status quo and call out this cozy little nepotistic world for what it is. This rarely goes down well with the privileged, entitled bigwigs of Bollywood who most frequently refuse to even acknowledge that privilege. So what happened recently?
At the 2017 IIFA awards in New York recently, Saif Ali Khan, Varun Dhawan and Karan Johar took a dig at Kangana Ranaut. The banter started with each of the men acknowledging that they are where they are because of their parents. The three then shouted “Nepotism Rocks”; clearly referring to time when Kangana Ranaut called Johar the ‘flag bearer of nepotism’.
Just in case the point wasn’t driven home for the too-dim-to-understand, Saif and Varun broke into a popular ditty from a Karan Johar film; a song with the word Kangana in it, after which Karan remarked that Kangana 'bahut bolti hai' (she speaks too much).
If you disregard the fact that these were three men – from an industry that is arguably sexist in the extreme – making fun of a woman, yes it was a bit of fun. If you ignore the fact that these were three privileged men – born with the metaphorical silver spoon – making fun of an outsider who has made it by dint of sheer grit, talent and a dogged will to succeed, it was all harmless. Otherwise it was vicious, nasty and small-minded.
If you must be all entitled and superior and try to run down a colleague, at least be intelligent about it. The digs they took at Kangana weren’t really funny. They were rather lame-brained. Even if one forgives all else in the name of having a sense of humour, one cannot forgive be lameness of the so called ‘joke’.
Rather than a joke, it seemed to be a case of getting some petty revenge for past altercations. Perhaps Johar was butt-hurt at being roundly criticized on his own show and decided to give the ‘upstart’ some much deserved ‘comeuppance’?
As predicted, the outpouring of support for Kangana was swift and widespread.
It is also suggested that Saif’s problem with Kangana was the fact that she was the central character in the film Rangoon, though he is the industry senior. One could also conclude from the behavior of the three men, that women voicing their opinion are still unacceptable to patriarchal status quo in society. And these are supposed to be modern, evolved men who should know better. Will these men also continue to dismiss what women say as 'playing the victim card’? How unfortunate if this is all we can expect from men of influence, visibility and the opportunity to actually make a difference.
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