A HUGE Yes!!! Social issues are definitely a publicity stunt for them & for some stars social issues are also an effective market/genre!
In past some stars like Balraj Sahni & Sunil Dutt were actually active in social causes, politics & were seriously committed to what they were doing. Later from 1980s, social issues became a fad of sorts with likes of Shabana Azmi wearing their "cause celebrity" tag on their sleeves! The celebs may be knowing about issues in depth or not but they make it a point to add their two words to show off their "conscience". Some manage their outside image well (Aamir, Shabana, Javed Akhtar etc.). Others are plain hypocrites (such as the alcoholic Dharmendra who foolishly gives message to Punjab youth to avoid sharaab/nasha!).
Only few like Nandita Das & Rahul Bose are seriously aware of issues & have commitedly done activism.
Preity Zinta, Aamir Khan, Amitabh Bachchan, Hema Malini, Shabana Azmi, Javed Akhtar keep hopping from one cause to other. SRK supposedly does "secret charity". Salman now started charity.
They may or may not continue to work on any cause seriously but their statements, show offs (TV shows/charities/public statements) earn them brownie points from fans & gullible public.
It's "social tourism" for them, an image building exercise & a way to have some longevity as public figure (some join politics later, and some continue as cause celebrities).
One shouldn't underestimate power of using social issues. It's turned around careers of some stars/celebs & given them unimaginable aura of respect, even covered up their murky past!
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