Tapsee Defends Rhea, vilify Kangana: Sad State of Feminism in India

The death of the 34-year-old talented actor Sushant Singh Rajput has brought the country together. People across the states, gender, age are voicing #justiceforsushant But, why?

Sushant Singh Rajput was mysteriously found dead on 14th June 2020. Initially, it was reported suicide due to depression, later the myth was debunked by Sushant's friends and family. A lot has happened since the day the soul departed, the fight for justice is still on. However, I would like to dedicate this article to the lopsided nature of feminism in India.

Recently actress Tapsee Pannu asked the citizens of the country to stop the media trial of the prime accused Rhea Chakraborty. Freedom of speech and expression gives her the right to assert her opinion, but she is also known for her constant digs, sly remarks on another actress Kangana Ranaut. It baffles me to see that a woman is asking people to stop hounding Rhea citing gender justice and sensitivity, even though Rhea happens to be the prime accused while she doesn't leave a single opportunity to make fun of Kangana Ranaut under the same lens of gender justice and sensitivity.

In an interview with the Republic, Kangana came out with her horrifying journey in Bollywood. From physical abuse to molestation, the actress spoke her heart out. As a woman, nothing seemed more empowering to me than to see Kangana speak to the world about her painful journey. At that moment I felt there can't be any other woman who's so strong. The actress spoke against her own industry, people who took advantage of her, tortured her for following her dreams, sedated, manipulated, vilified, whatnot. The list is endless. And after all this, not one person from the industry came forward to support her. Not one person.

All the actresses who I have seen speaking in the past about women issues, rapes, sexual assaults, pay parity, they all were tight-lipped on Kangana's dreadful life, WHY?

Because Kangana spoke what they all combined can never dare to. Kangana reminds them of their cowardice. They all want to defend the Hindi film industry, but no one, absolutely no one wants to support or at least express remorse on what all Kangana had to go through.

So what exactly is feminism for these so-called women voices of Bollywood? What does it mean to them? To only raise voice for women they intellectually align with and ignore the rest? Or selectively choose the victim and promote themselves as the face of that victim issue? This raises a bigger question: Are they really feminist? Do they even know the meaning of feminism? Or are they fake, a self-motivated feminist tribe who raise voice if it fits their line of thought, otherwise they DO NOT CARE!

Yes, Bollywood is coming out to be a big sham, an industry of fakeness! As a woman, however, what bothers me is to see the selective outrage of fake Bollywood feminists. If a woman is molested and these fake feminists, fake humanitarians of Bollywood don't intellectually, politically align with that woman, they won't utter a word. The tables will turn drastically if the woman molested is their political-intellectual ally. Please note I don't wish this upon any woman. It is my personal take on the hypocrisy the film industry is, and since I have grown up watching them, the realization of their fakeness is a personal awakening.

I am still stunned by the mental torture the entire industry inflicted on one woman, Kangana Ranaut, as all these famous known feminist voices remained silent. They still haven't spoken a word in her favor. Some say because Kangana is of a different political view, no one supports her, but does that take away her plight, suffering as a woman? If you too raise your voices for women based on their color, ethnicity, country, religion then it's high time to self-correct. As women, we should have no religion, no color, caste, creed, country.

Together we are stronger.

About the Author

Prakriti S is a foodie, wildlife photographer, geo-politics enthusiast, and a woman activist.