Gunjan Saxena and Sreevidya speak to the media | NDTV Video interview - Page 6

Originally posted by: anjs

....what the record says or what the IAF exams says is inconsequential...

Sreevidya in the interview says that the IAF has all the archive and records of all their sorties and who went first and who did not. Then how is IAF saying Gunjan to be the first inconsequential? Isn't it like the most fair decision since the tag is coming from the very same force both of them were a part of? Since it's coming from IAF itself and not Sreevidya or Gunjan? 🤓

Originally posted by: insideroutsider

Agree with the second half and that's a completely different topic of how and why they completely erases her existence at the Udhampur base and Sreevidya is rightfully fighting against that.

But the main discussion here is not about the movie but about the tag. I don't think asking for a justifiable answer is equal to be disrespectful. Just like Vishnu Som asked her too, she shouldn't have kept quiet for so long for things to blow out of proportion. I would still understand if this movie was not being made and she was quiet and happy with not speaking up. But what stopped her when the news or the posters released? They released atleast one year back. Everyone who is attached to the profession irrespective of whether they are retired or not will get the news that a movie is being made on Gunjan alone who is being hailed as the first. Why didn't she speak out then and there because even in the posters there was no Sreevidya.

She says she is speaking out now because she has issues with the film for erasing her existence and has no issue with Gunjan then why is she repeating this sentence ' I didn't claim anything because I didn't want fame' to every rebuttal of Gunjan in the interview? I think she almost repeated the sentence four times. I find that irritating. You can tell your side of the truth while still being respectful to your colleague without indirectly being sarcastic right? The concern here is the tone, nothing else.

Bro, I'd respectfully disagree on this.

I still stand by my statement that saying her coming out is in "extreme bad taste" is really being disrespectful to her.

It's actually a good thing she didn't come out when the posters/trailers came out, unlike the Karni Sena. She clearly mentioned in her interview that she was disappointed when there was not a single mention of her, or even any male officers that contributed much more, in any of the end credits. That clearly hurt her. Along with any other portrayals she didn't approve of, in the movie. As an Air Force veteran, someone who not only served our country but was also deeply involved in this incident, she has all the right to come out with her side whenever she wants. Questioning her for ignoring all these days (although I wouldn't) is one thing, putting allegations that this is in "bad taste" quite another. She doesn't deserve the latter. In trying to defend Gunjan, please don't forget that Sreevidya has contributed to our country, and please think twice before throwing any muck on her.

Let's agree to disagree 🙏

So the positive we can take from this debacle is that it wasn't just one girl, but many others who did us proud during Kargil. So more role models for the younger girls to pursue a career in defence.

When other air Force pilots are also saying that Sreevidya was the first one, then its quite accountable I guess. Sreevidya chooses to speak now, so what? If her coming out with truth makes her shady then same goes for Gunjan too. So what if Sreevidya says that male pilots actually did much more hard work but didn't get such recognition? May be it's true. Gender does give advantages in such cases. For glorifying Gunjan I don't see the need to show other gender in bad light. And if all these are actually true, I hope IAF declares it in public. And that's doesn't take anything from achievement of Gunjan that much as she claimed that doing the proper job was her priority only.

These two were forced into retirement but now they have the changed the rules and women are allowed to stay which is good

Hope there is no disparity in the physical tests needed to pass, no two-tiered physical requirements for men and women bcz it existed for years in the U.S army... They say it still exists in the Marines

Originally posted by: insideroutsider

Sreevidya in the interview says that the IAF has all the archive and records of all their sorties and who went first and who did not. Then how is IAF saying Gunjan to be the first inconsequential? Isn't it like the most fair decision since the tag is coming from the very same force both of them were a part of? Since it's coming from IAF itself and not Sreevidya or Gunjan? 🤓

read my comment again, you will realize why i used the word 'inconsequential'. The main thing is our inner self. If someone told Gunjan that she was the first pilot, did she cross-check ? how can one believe something without cross-checking and if she did cross-check then she knows in her heart that she is not the first, then she should've refused the tag herself.......... I know that's what I would've done.....

I also think that like Srividya said, all this while no-one felt it necessary to clear the matter, cause it doesn't make much of a difference to them, cause for them all are just officers in uniform whether women or men........... now that Gunjan okayed a project which shows them all (not a few) in bad light then they are offended and speaking up..

here two things that i feel is wrong........one is Gunjan never confirming for herself if she was really the first or not..........secondly if she is giving her nod for such a big project, where they are not only gonna show her but also her workplace and one of the defense institution of India, then it was her responsibility to see that things are not shown as too black, and not i dont believe that she didnt know that it can easily go south, given that her main story was about gender bias........ she shouldve been smart enough to know that, and esp know how bollywood is.....at least she couldve done a little study after they contacted her for the movie..........so these two things I find questionable in Gunjan's behavior.....

but still I will not blame her cause she is still as naive as any common man can be......... so the main onus lies with Dharma and the director / script writer.............. firstly they shouldve done their research.....

secondly, they shouldve involved Gunjan more like Dhoni is his biopic and Milkha Singh in Bhaag Milkha Bhaag....

Thidrly they shouldve shown the movie to IAF when it asked for it before the release........but who are we kidding, they purposely ignored the request and went ahead with the release, cause either they knew that after watching the movie IAF will not allow them to release it, and also if IAF raises issue over it, then it will give more promotion to the movie, so this was their sly attempt to get more success for it..... and forthly, this is a little far-fetched but there can be a possibility to purposely show IAF as a negative institution on the orders of few underworld mafia people who always side with India's enemies and want to paint India black on all international platforms........you cannot deny the fact that bollywood is deep in cahoot with such elements and we cannot guarantee that they are not dancing to the tunes of these people.....

Originally posted by: anjs

read my comment again, you will realize why i used the word 'inconsequential'. The main thing is our inner self. If someone told Gunjan that she was the first pilot, did she cross-check ? how can one believe something without cross-checking and if she did cross-check then she knows in her heart that she is not the first, then she should've refused the tag herself.......... I know that's what I would've done.....

I also think that like Srividya said, all this while no-one felt it necessary to clear the matter, cause it doesn't make much of a difference to them, cause for them all are just officers in uniform whether women or men........... now that Gunjan okayed a project which shows them all (not a few) in bad light then they are offended and speaking up..

here two things that i feel is wrong........one is Gunjan never confirming for herself if she was really the first or not..........secondly if she is giving her nod for such a big project, where they are not only gonna show her but also her workplace and one of the defense institution of India, then it was her responsibility to see that things are not shown as too black, and not i dont believe that she didnt know that it can easily go south, given that her main story was about gender bias........ she shouldve been smart enough to know that, and esp know how bollywood is.....at least she couldve done a little study after they contacted her for the movie..........so these two things I find questionable in Gunjan's behavior.....

but still I will not blame her cause she is still as naive as any common man can be......... so the main onus lies with Dharma and the director / script writer.............. firstly they shouldve done their research.....

secondly, they shouldve involved Gunjan more like Dhoni is his biopic and Milkha Singh in Bhaag Milkha Bhaag....

Thidrly they shouldve shown the movie to IAF when it asked for it before the release........but who are we kidding, they purposely ignored the request and went ahead with the release, cause either they knew that after watching the movie IAF will not allow them to release it, and also if IAF raises issue over it, then it will give more promotion to the movie, so this was their sly attempt to get more success for it..... and forthly, this is a little far-fetched but there can be a possibility to purposely show IAF as a negative institution on the orders of few underworld mafia people who always side with India's enemies and want to paint India black on all international platforms........you cannot deny the fact that bollywood is deep in cahoot with such elements and we cannot guarantee that they are not dancing to the tunes of these people.....

Bold - Sreevidya Rajan says they are friends and have kept in touch all these years

“We even talked yesterday” (or recently ) - she says in this clip

So they talked all these years and GS never knew that SR was her senior?

If you and I were the only female members of a very prestigious institution and you were my senior even by a day and we were on friendly terms, I would certainly know that I was not the first, that honor belongs to you...

But I agree that the onus is on ‘Dharma’... You have to have more skill and put more effort to make an interesting biopic without making one side villain and another the victim.
But they do this in HW too... Always wondered how that person feels when negative portrayal is so exaggerated or in some cases even blatantly false

So the controversy on this "biopic" was covered by BBC as well.

Sreevidya's name is not even mentioned and only alluded to in a single line, followed by stating that Gunjan has "strongly rejected" those claims. If Sreevidya indeed was the first Indian female pilot to fly in a warzone, then IAF must come clean on it. In any case it should clear the air.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-india-53778420