I appreciated the law suit that several production houses filed against Times Now, Republic.
I feel Bollywood has been targeted way too much and unfairly. It has become so bad that even star kids are trolled, harassed and targeted just because of their names or hate for their dads on communal and ideological basis.
I read Akshay sued a YouTuber making slanderous claims about him last year? If true then it was a good step. I appreciated Anushka and Virat sending cops after the man who posted rape threats to their daughter on Twitter.
It has become daily affair to target Bollywood, film and TV industry and now meddle even in their personal lives as stars get trolled for choosing their lifestyle, religion or marriage, divorce, food choices etc.
In 2015 Rishi Kapoor was not only trolled but his car was attacked when he went to UP just because he tweeted he was a 'beef eating Hindu'. There were protests outside Kapoor mansion as well.
Nowadays any meme is made viral attributing any communal, sexist or casteist statements to stars and inciting hate against them. For eg, I saw a meme in which it is claimed SRK said he will leave India if Modi becomes PM. Though in reality SRK never said anything of that sort and usually avoids political comments.
There are dime a dozen YouTube, Twitter, Telegram, Instagram, Facebook, Quora, Reddit, Medium, Blogger accounts devoted to conspiracy theories around celebs, films or projecting them all as anti national, against a specific religious community or linking them to foreign agencies or even terrorism.
Abusive hashtags against stars are also trended every other day and their films, ads, books, businesses are attacked. Govt also targets them and their families, films, businesses for no reason.
Flop or retired ex starlets and B grade celebs are also spreading defamation, misinformation against stars through social media and TV channels. Kangana shared a fake interview of Aamir Khan claiming Aamir said his kids will follow only Islam even if his wives were Hindu. Aamir had to issue clarification that interview was fake and he had never given any such interview at all.
I feel it is wrong if Bollywood stars continue to take selfies or endorse campaigns of same parties that are targeting them or allow rumours to circulate against them unabated.
It is sad that Alia, Ranveer, Khans took selfies with Modi and attended events with him and Deepika was face of govt's Bharat ki Lakshmi scheme but all of them were targeted by media and IT cells, agencies under same party's govt.
Given what Times Now, Republic, R Bharat, News 18, News X, Zee News did to Bollywood stars I feel the stars should themselves refuse to give interviews to these channels. Especially Times Now and Republic should have been avoided like plague. Stars and filmmakers need not attend any summit or awards by these channels either.
Bollywood should never forget this harassment and continued propaganda against them.
I feel they should rather freely write or speak or make movies on their experiences and corrupt politicians targeting them. Or pseudo religious lobbies always targeting Bollywood or stars in real life.
In past also Bollywood has been targeted. Sometimes on basis of caste, religion or region or ideology or even personal lives of stars (if religious communities did not like men or women of their communities acting or dancing). But Bollywood never cowed down nor stopped making films they wanted to nor stopped speaking on subjects they felt strongly about.
I feel this time also Bollywood should assert themselves and stop lending their services and appearance to those who use and abuse them. They must take legal action against social media pages and channels that spread lies against them, their families. They must not yield to trolls or manufactured, politically motivated mobs.
Bollywood and TV have been soft power of India, popularised Indian languages and culture worldwide, connected Indians of diverse regions, always been used for cultural diplomacy and campaigns for politicians, helped foster nationalism. Films have promoted both traditions and progressive messages.
Today when there is attempt to polarise or communalise Bollywood or target their fundamental rights as citizens (Deepika is free to visit JNU or anywhere else she wants. That is her fundamental right as citizen. Diljit has fundamental right to attend any protest he wants), Bollywood must NOT yield at all. There is nothing to be guilty or apologetic about or stop speaking or stop making kind of films you want to.
Physical attacks on Prakash Jha and SLB by self styled senas were uncalled for. Industry must not tolerate it. Rather they should takr case to logical conclusion and ensure those goons are behind bars.
Some hate monger celebs should also be sued for defamation by Bollywood icons or atleast entirely sidelined.
It is not a joke that same industry that is biggest soft power arm of India, and same industry whose work was used to keep people at home in lockdown is targeted at drop of a hat by any and every one.
I wish industry writes, makes films openly about harassment they face. Just as filmmakers subtly exposed excesses of Emergency in 70s and early 80s films.
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There is no need to go silent or wag tails around politicians or stop making content one wants to or tolerate fake news, propaganda and defamation quietly.
I hope Bollywood asserts itself and stops letting people take it for granted.
All industries have corrupt and shady people and practices but no one is targeted the way film and TV industry is. Attempts to link India's biggest stars to terrorism or foreign agencies or harass their families and kids without any evidence on flimsy pretexts is uncalled for.
There is a limit to ignoring as well. One can ignore anon trolls but not verified ids followed by ministers or TV channels mainstreaming false propaganda.
Bollywood, TV industry must NEVER forgive or forget. They must make their dissent and stand known in some way or the other.
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