Subhash Jha's open letter to Russell Peters

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Harjot.

@Angel-Jot

Alumni

+ 6

Posted: 10 years ago

#121

Whether Russell Peters watches Bollywood movies or not, or whether or not if he has anything to do with that industry, if an issue is blown out of proportion, why shouldn't he have the right to speak?

According to Mr. Jha, just because Russell Peters doesn't like Bollywood, he has no right to have an opinion on a matter that has gone on to become an issue about "freedom of speech". News flash, Mr. Jha, this has nothing to do with the industry. This has now become a societal issue with questions thrown regarding ethics and morality.

Good on Russell Peters for telling the adults to act like adults. Mr. Aamir Khan can state his opinion all he wants - but has no right to cry foul because this time it's not him, but someone else exercising their fundamental rights. And everyone needs to move on from this. The maturity level among these so called celebs is real high.

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983175

Suspended

Posted: 10 years ago

#122

Originally posted by: Angel-Jot.
Whether Russell Peters watches Bollywood movies or not, or whether or not if he has anything to do with that industry, if an issue is blown out of proportion, why shouldn't he have the right to speak?

According to Mr. Jha, just because Russell Peters doesn't like Bollywood, he has no right to have an opinion on a matter that has gone on to become an issue about "freedom of speech". News flash, Mr. Jha, this has nothing to do with the industry. This has now become a societal issue with questions thrown regarding ethics and morality.

Good on Russell Peters for telling the adults to act like adults. Mr. Aamir Khan can state his opinion all he wants - but has no right to cry foul because this time it's not him, but someone else exercising their fundamental rights. And everyone needs to move on from this. The maturity level among these so called celebs is real high.

I am not sure if it would make any difference to your statements , but Jha's rather touchy-feely open letter 😆 was in reply to this : Russell Peters: Will someone ask Aamir to shut up?" .. so the real predicament is actually the other way round .. 😆

Edited by Quixotic5 - 10 years ago

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desigal90

@desigal90

Trailblazer

+ 5

Posted: 10 years ago

#123

Originally posted by: anonymous39
[quote]I'm not even gonna address or talk about Aamir's hypocrisy or lack of at this point. That's irrelevant to my point here. Aamir may or may not be a hypocrite.

But nothing will justify Russel Peters speaking about this issue. Not in any way or form.
[/quote]

Why can't Rusell Peters talk about the issue? He's a comedian and he sees fellow comedians being blasted with FIRs and having threats of jail time on their heads. Why on earth would he not defend their right to say what they want when the same restrictions would end up applying to him someday and many others if the AIB guys are allowed to be bullied into shutting up? He would be foolish NOT to respond.

It doesn't apply to him because he's not an Indian comedian by profession. He's a Canadian/American performer. Him performing in India is about the same as Shahrukh performing a concert in the states.

He's not gonna get the least bit affected.

Let's switch things around, the ethnicities I mean. Turn the tables. Imagine this. Wouldn't it be odd if Dave Chapelle criticized something about a Hollywood actor's behavior, and suddenly the papers publish an Indian actor's statements saying "STFU Dave, you're not even an artist"? It's the same thing. You can say Shahrukh is speaking up on behalf of someone in the same profession, but it would be so odd of him to speak up anyway coz it doesn't concern him. He doesn't work in the States.

This is none of Russel's business. He isn't an actor in the same profession to be commenting on Aamir's behavior as a colleague, he wasn't part of the show, nor is he a comedian working in India who deals with censorship issues for livelihood. This is none of his business. I would understand if Kapil Sharma or Johnny Lever spoke up on behalf of comedians, but not Mr. Peters.

As for why he shouldn't talk...I think I gave a comparison earlier.

Example:

Considering Abhijeet's history of hating and mocking Pakistani artists (Atif Aslam and Shafqat Amanat Ali), should he be taken seriously giving statements about other Pakistani celebs? I think not.

In fact, most Pakistanis would be completely justified in telling Abhijeet to STFU.

Similarly, Indians and fans of bollywood are justified in saying, STFU Russel, you have no credibility left.

Russel's statements about Aamir were not simply about defending fellow comedians, but also senselessly derogatory.

What was the need to add in and say that Aamir isn't even a real artist, but just an actor, therefore he just reads someone else's lines? Why is Russel Peters always so bitter about the Indian film industry?

What about Russel's statement is oh so profound?

I'm not even that big an Aamir fan, I've seen most of Russel's shows, and even I found his statement ridiculous. The man uses bollywood as the butt of his jokes in pretty much all his shows. Ok fine, you wanna use stereotypes as jokes, sure do that. But he genuinely believe em and perpetuates them by saying the Hindi film industry is a big joke.

Someone like that should be the last person to be giving critical remarks.

Edited by desigal90 - 10 years ago

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Harjot.

@Angel-Jot

Alumni

+ 6

Posted: 10 years ago

#124

Originally posted by: Quixotic5

I am not sure if it would make any difference to your statements , but Jha's rather touchy-feely open letter 😆 was in reply to this : Russell Peters: Will someone ask Aamir to shut up?" .. so the real predicament is actually the other way round .. 😆

Like I said.. Russell Peters can't express his opinion about the whole situation? Or Aamir Khan for that matter? ..because he doesn't watch Bollywood movies? 😆 I can't believe this is the only justification being offered in this thread.

I don't understand what your point is here. At the end of the day, Russell Peters has an opinion, just like all these other very mature Bollywood celebrities, and he will express it just as they have. What's the problem with that?

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983175

Suspended

Posted: 10 years ago

#125

Originally posted by: Angel-Jot.

Like I said.. Russell Peters can't express his opinion about the whole situation? Or Aamir Khan for that matter? ..because he doesn't watch Bollywood movies? 😆 I can't believe this is the only justification being offered in this thread.

I don't understand what your point is here. At the end of the day, Russell Peters has an opinion, just like all these other very mature Bollywood celebrities, and he will express it just as they have. What's the problem with that?

Clearly you didn't get my point , Russell Peters can have an opinion but when that opinion happens to be a derogatory , bigoted & illogical opinion presented in a bad taste , it will be thrashed ..

All that Russell did was hurl , nonsensical , self contradictory , derogatory statements which is hardly a credible opinion .. Russel not watching bollywood films is not the only absurd excuse (seriously ?) used here ; if Russell has the right to endorse his bigotry on a public platform , people reserve the right to call out on his bull shit ..Do Read Russel's interview in the link that i provided when you get time & may be then you ll get what i am saying .. its a tedious task to quote Russel's words point by point , i was hoping to avoid it by quoting the link to Russel's interview thread ..

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642126

Hibernated

Posted: 10 years ago

#126

Can we get done with this now?

Too many open letters, threads, tweets and debates over this Roast which most of the country has not even watched!

Enough is enough! There's a limit to stretching a lame controversy!

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745671

Suspended

Posted: 10 years ago

#127

[quote]It doesn't apply to him because he's not an Indian comedian by profession. He's a Canadian/American performer. Him performing in India is about the same as Shahrukh performing a concert in the states.

He's not gonna get the least bit affected.

Are you serious? So nobody should have any opinion or get involved in something they're not personally affected by? So we should all just stop complaining about Saudi Arabia beating up a blogger or not letting women drive or Boko Haram kidnapping school girls or whatnot? Hey it doesn't affect my life at all so I should just shut up.

People care about whatever they want to care about and they have every right to. Whether big Bollywood fans like it or not but Rusell Peters is relevant in India and his opinion matters at least a little which is why he's gotten attention with his words. Newspapers have printed what he has to say in big headlines and I'm sure TV news has also reported it. He's been on almost every big talk show in India in the past. People do know who he is. If he didn't matter, his words would not even get printed because nobody would care.

People can keep talking about how he's a nobody and how dare he say anything to the great and amazing Aamir Khan but it doesn't change the facts on the ground.

If SRK got involved and made some comment about a Hollywood actor, guess what, nobody outside of India would care. I don't mean the desi community. I mean the mainstream public of America or Europe or Austraila where Hollywood movies are famous. SRK can make whatever comment he wants but nobody would even publish it or air it on the news because his opinion simply would not matter because nobody knows who he is. This is not to slam SRK at all. It's to say whether you like it or not, Rusell Peters does have a name in India. He's been on the biggest TV talk shows and interviews there and people do somewhat know who he is.

Nobody is claiming he's bigger than Aamir Khan there but his words would not matter at all if he didn't matter. I'm no fan and this is not to big him up or anything. But comparing what he is in India to what SRK would be in the US is not apt.

He has every right to talk and clearly there are enough people talking about his words and the media has covered it well too. I don't understand this strange argument that since he won't be affected by the FIRs and threats of jail time, he can't as a comedian defend fellow comedians. What?

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Larae

@Larae

Rocker

Posted: 10 years ago

#128

Originally posted by: atominis
Can we get done with this now?

Too many open letters, threads, tweets and debates over this Roast which most of the country has not even watched!

Enough is enough! There's a limit to stretching a lame controversy!

Word. It was amusing in the begining when everyone kept throwing the 'freedom of speech' tag around, now it's just plain irritating. So sick of these AIB threads 🥱

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desigal90

@desigal90

Trailblazer

+ 5

Posted: 10 years ago

#129

Originally posted by: anonymous39

Are you serious? So nobody should have any opinion or get involved in something they're not personally affected by? So we should all just stop complaining about Saudi Arabia beating up a blogger or not letting women drive or Boko Haram kidnapping school girls or whatnot? Hey it doesn't affect my life at all so I should just shut up.

People care about whatever they want to care about and they have every right to. Whether big Bollywood fans like it or not but Rusell Peters is relevant in India and his opinion matters at least a little which is why he's gotten attention with his words. Newspapers have printed what he has to say in big headlines and I'm sure TV news has also reported it. He's been on almost every big talk show in India in the past. People do know who he is. If he didn't matter, his words would not even get printed because nobody would care.

People can keep talking about how he's a nobody and how dare he say anything to the great and amazing Aamir Khan but it doesn't change the facts on the ground.

If SRK got involved and made some comment about a Hollywood actor, guess what, nobody outside of India would care. I don't mean the desi community. I mean the mainstream public of America or Europe or Austraila where Hollywood movies are famous. SRK can make whatever comment he wants but nobody would even publish it or air it on the news because his opinion simply would not matter because nobody knows who he is. This is not to slam SRK at all. It's to say whether you like it or not, Rusell Peters does have a name in India. He's been on the biggest TV talk shows and interviews there and people do somewhat know who he is.

Nobody is claiming he's bigger than Aamir Khan there but his words would not matter at all if he didn't matter. I'm no fan and this is not to big him up or anything. But comparing what he is in India to what SRK would be in the US is not apt.

He has every right to talk and clearly there are enough people talking about his words and the media has covered it well too. I don't understand this strange argument that since he won't be affected by the FIRs and threats of jail time, he can't as a comedian defend fellow comedians. What?

That's to assume that AIB is as important as the beatings in Saudi Arabia. This is a stupid controversy and cannot in any way be compared to INJUSTICE and OPPRESSION all over the world. It's a censorship issue and honestly AIB aren't unique in having to deal with this kinda shit. Most of bollywood by now has had fatwas against em, and I do recall someone burning Saif's eulogy outside his house once. They have politicians threatening to shut their films, etc etc. It's nothing like flagging in Saudi Arabia so I think that's a tad bit of an exaggeration.

Why is this AIB such a big deal? How is it changing the world in any way? It's not different than a thousand other censorship issues in India.

Secondly, like I said, Russel spoke less about his comedians and defense of them and more about how Aamir is not even an artist and tell him to shut up. Like seriously?

You think this is a mature way of defending freedom of speech?

Have you read Twinkle's take on this matter? So well put.

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return_to_hades

@return_to_hades

Stunner

+ 6

Posted: 10 years ago

#130

Originally posted by: desigal90

Secondly, like I said, Russel spoke less about his comedians and defense of them and more about how Aamir is not even an artist and tell him to shut up. Like seriously?
You think this is a mature way of defending freedom of speech?
Have you read Twinkle's take on this matter? So well put.

This here does illustrate the essence of free speech.

Some people are poised, mature and well spoken. Some people are rude, obnoxious and foul mouthed. Most people are somewhere in the grey area in between. All of them have an equal right to express whats on their mind.

Aamir Khan, Russel Peters and Subhash Jha have the right to their free speech and have spoken their mind. I have no objections to their opinions. At the same time if Russel came off as a jerk, Aamir came of hypocritical and Subhash Jha as a whiny bitch.

Twinkle probably is the only one who had her say without rubbing people the wrong way.