Looks like things aren’t going well for Bollywood and its famous celebs. Controversy and Bollywood go hand-in-hand, from constant run-ins with the laws to messy divorces – Bollywood faces it all. It never fails to run short of issues that capture the headlines on social media and the nation. There were many controversies which made headlines in Tinseltown. Here’s looking at some of them which proved Bollywood’s deafening silence when it comes to defending its own people.
1. Aditya Narayan’s airport rant.
In 2017, in a video uploaded online, yesteryear’s singer Udit Narayan’s son Aditya Narayan who hosted music shows on Television, was seen yelling at airport officials and threatening one person after an altercation. No one spoke out when the brat misbehaved at the airport. Like any protective father, Udit defended Aditya: “Bachcha hai. Bahot sanskaari beta hai hamara” (He would never do any wrong).
2. Ankit Tiwari’s acquittal in rape case.
Well, this one grabbed headlines. Bollywood singer Ankit Tiwari and his brother Ankur were acquitted in 2014 rape case by a 28 year old woman. According to the police, the victim had invited the singer to a party where he allegedly coerced her into consuming alcohol, and sexually assaulted her. Simple twist of events! But it would have been nice to see someone from the fraternity to support and believe the victim instead.
3. Salman Khan’ famous hit-and-run case.
In the September 2002 drunk driving incident, prosecution failed to prove actor Salman Khan’s involvement which led to the killing of pavement dwellers. One person had died and four were injured when Khan’s Toyota Land Cruiser crashed outside a bakery on Hill Road in Bandra. He was alleged to have driven through a pavement filled with sleeping people, but was let out free. People die, but people keep quiet!
4. Jeetendra filed with FIR in sexual assault.
Veteran actor Jeetendra was mired in a sexual assault allegation in February this year. Strangely, a cousin of the actor had come out with the accusation and Shimla police lodged an FIR against him. The victim had written a letter explaining the ordeal that took place 47 years ago in a Shimla hotel, where she claimed that the actor assaulted her in a room they shared. Obviously Jeetendra denied the accusations, but so did Bollywood who refuses to believe such things.
5. Katrina Kaif’s crude ‘casteist’ joke.
After Salman Khan, Katrina Kaif was caught up in the controversy they stirred while promoting ‘Tiger Zinda Hai’ on a Television reality show. An FIR was lodged against both actors for allegedly making a casteist remark against Schedule Castes during the promotion of the movie.
Kaif, “rather than protesting at the offensive and insensitive statement, joined the accused number 1 (Khan) in insulting and abusing the victim through her conduct”, was the complaint in the FIR. Salman had used the word ‘bhangi’ on the reality show, which wasn’t taken favourably by the Scheduled Caste communities in India. But no-one came in support of these caste members and no-one messes with Salman or his muse.
6. Manoj Bajpai’s ‘Aiyaary’ offends defence ministry.
Neeraj Pandey’s ‘Aiyaary’ ran into fresh trouble when the Ministry of Defence reviewed the movie and suggested multiple changes post-screening. The Revising Committee of Ministry of Information and Broadcasting asked for certain changes in the film. Reportedly, the screening resulted in four minor prescribed changes in the film, following which Aiyaary received a U/A certificate from CBFC satisfyingly. But people didn’t think it was necessary to understand the sensitivity behind such serious topics.
7. Sidharth Malhotra slammed by Neetu Chandra over Bhojpuri comment.
Sidharth Malhotra was promoting his upcoming film ‘Aiyaary’ on a reality TV show, when he messed things up. When asked to repeat Salman Khan’s famous dialogues in Bhojpuri, the handsome star ended up saying the language gives a “latrine kind” of feeling. This irked his co-star Neetu Chandra so much, that she vented out her anger on Twitter openly:
So disappointed @S1dharthM some1who is so fortunate 2 work wd d best. Who despite being an outsider has made a name 4 himself,4 U 2 use ur words so loosely.2 disrespect #Bhojpuri on national TV. SHOCKED! How on earth does speaking in #Bhojpuri gives u a latrine feeling.Shame on U pic.twitter.com/dQqarHZRqM
— Neetu N Chandra (@Neetu_Chandra) January 22, 2018
After seeing trouble brewing his way, Sidharth Malhotra later apologised with on Twitter, but again, people from the fraternity didn’t lend a supporting hand to Neetu’s observation:
I recently tried speaking a new language while I was on a TV show. In the process if I inadvertently hurt anyone's feelings or sentiments, I apologise and assure you that no disrespect was meant in any way.
— Sidharth Malhotra (@S1dharthM) January 22, 2018
8. School bus vandalised during ‘Anti- Padmaavat’ protest.
When Padmavat was releasing, all hell broke loose in the Rajput community, who took offence to the movie’s Padmavati character portrayal and the historical facts which Sanjay Leela Bhansali was about to display. In Gurugram, a school bus carrying students was attacked by protesters when protests were at their peak before the release. The attackers threw stones at the school bus, smashing its windows.
The video showed terrified students ducking and cowering in fearing fear. The burning of the school bus incited extremely negative reactions from all quarters, but Bollywood starts had nothing to say about this appalling incident.
9. ‘Padman’ suffered allegations of plagiarism.
Twinkle Khanna’s PadMan starring husband Akshay Kumar and Sonam Kapoor found troubles with writer Ripu Daman Jaiswal accusing the makers of ‘taking scenes’ in the film from a script he had written’. The writer also filed an FIR against Akshay Kumar and in a series of tweets, alleged that a lot of scenes have been copied from a script he sent to Karan Johar’s Dharma Productions.
Intermission of PadMan. 11 scenes has been copied from my script uptil now and even one of the character. That’s it. I am definitely going to court.
— Ripu Daman Jaiswal (@Shivashorcrux) February 9, 2018
10. Daler Mehndi convicted in ‘human trafficking’ case
Since Daler Mehndi’s latest conviction in a human trafficking case of 2003, his colleagues from the music and entertainment industry have gone underground. The Patiala Court sentenced him to two years of imprisonment in connection with the old case after being found guilty, however, he was given a bail at a mere Rs 10,000. Is that the compensation to the families who suffered at his expense? Where’s Bollywood now, who groove to his Punjabi beats when he releases a hit album?
This deafening silence from the entertainment industry sends strong signals of friendships over humanity and shamelessness over dignity. What are your thoughts on this? Tell us in the comments.