Cancel Culture Boycott Trends Archives - Lokmarg

Pathaan’s Success Is A Fitting Response To Boycott Brigade

By LokMarg 9th February 2023

Satyam Shrivastava, a Delhi-based development professional, says Indian audience is fed up with the cancel culture which selectively targets a section of Bollywood

I watched the Shahrukh-starrer Pathaan a couple of days back with my family at a PVR multiplex in New Delhi. The excitement around the theatre was palpable; it was teeming with SRK fans. Despite the increased prices of tickets, there was heavy rush at the booking window. I think such a rage was seen for the first time since the reopening of cinema halls after Covid days.

It is possible that the calls to boycott the movie had sparked some kind of defiant thrill among Shahrukh Khan’s admirers. I am in no doubt that Pathaan will prove to be a ‘bounce back’ moment for Bollywood.

I had my individual reasons to watch the movie; I went there in support of Shahrukh Khan. I am sure I was not alone with the cause. The entire opposition to the movie was based on a ridiculous argument: a brief clip of Deepika Padukone wearing an orange (some saw saffron) bikini and singing Besharam Rang. Clearly, the target of the boycott brigade was Shahrukh Khan and Deepika, not the movie or the perceived vulgarity.

These two are film stars have, in their silent and subtle conduct, defied the Hindutva majoritarianism. Despite all kinds of state and non-state harassment, they have stood their ground. While Deepika made her silent presence felt in solidarity with Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) students, Shahrukh Khan, stoically countered a conspiratorial campaign against his son Aryan and did not line up to serve the powers that be. This had riled the Hindutva brigade no end who champion a different idea of ‘New India’.

ALSO READ: ‘Pathaan Injects A Fresh Lease Of Life In Bollywood’

Shahrukh and Deepika represent an ‘old India’ where artists were recognised by their talent and not by their surname, caste or ideology. And the movie, Pathaan stands like a non-violent resistance symbol to the boycott brigade representing a majoritarian ideology.

There are reports that many theatres have started additional slots to screen Pathaan; single-screen theatres have got the opportunity they had been long waiting for; and about the audience is going berserk when Salman Khan makes and entry. It proves that the audiences are fed up with such baseless boycott calls, and have collectively stood up to the threats by showing up in large numbers. The message is: We shall decide which movie to watch or disregard.

Pathaan is an entertaining ensemble of filmy massalas. And entertainment remains the main objective of any artwork. The film will also be a trendsetter in terms of the use of technology in Hindi cinema and pave way for making films in the same league as the Marvel Studios of Hollywood. Air fights, high-speed biking on ice, VFX footages are all very common in western cinema. Now these are being served by Bollywood too.

Boycott Calls Won’t Work, Nor Will Vulgarity In Films

By LokMarg 22nd December 2022

Chandrapal Singh, a filmmaker, says the issue is not about a particular song but a particular clique of filmmakers which intentionally promotes vulgarity in Indian cinema

The recent controversy over ‘Besharam Rang’ song from the movie Pathaan has several aspects. One is vulgarity in Bollywood songs, the second is the boycott call over religious sentiments, and finally the whataboutery by digging out old Bhojpuri songs of several actor-turned-BJP lawmakers. Allow me to examine these aspects from an unbiased standpoint.

On vulgarity, the question is not only about a particular song but about a particular gang, a Bollywood clique, which has been habitual, over the past few decades, ridiculing our culture, music, dance, etc. This specific ‘gang’ of filmmakers is notorious for filming songs with a crude twist or racy outfits merely to gain publicity via ‘hot’ scenes, with sole aim of making money at the cost of falling movie standards.

Most of these movies are being made keeping in mind the younger generation which, the filmmakers presume, does not have any taste or understanding of the social issues, and watches movies only for ‘hotness quotient’. And when a controversial song or scene, released before the movie, makes publicity, good or bad, these filmmakers make merry. This is a cheap tactic to book profits at the box office.

Second, the fate of a film does not only depend on a particular song or a boycott call. If the film has a good storyline and script, it will in all likelihood perform well at the box office. Conversely, even a multi-crore production with mindless or indigestible script does not guarantee a hit.

***Chandrapal (inset) feels some controversies are deliberately generated***

Boycott calls on social media or public forums hardly impact a film. If the audience finds a particular film entertaining or rallies behind a movie star, they will go to theaters irrespective of the hues and cries made over someone’s sentiment. Incidentally, I found Shahrukh Khan’s response to the controversy very laudable and measured.

ALSO READ: ‘Cancel Culture Is The Coronavirus of Bollywood’

As far as concerns being raised about similar acts (of dancing with Bhagwa-clad heroines) with stars like Ravi Kishan, Manoj Tiwari, and Dinesh Lal Yadav (Nirahua), those are things of the past when social media was not so prominent. These leaders are now lawmakers and moved on. The songs, being dug out from the past, are equally ridiculous as the boycott calls from the other side.

Do not expect Shahrukh Khan or Amir Khan fans to ditch them over a boycott call. If the hero has a connection with the masses, he will draw them to theatres. Similarly, if a lawmaker has done well for his constituency, his following will not be affected by the kind of songs he acted in, during his past career.

As an audience or an electorate, people need to make it clear once and for all – that we are not just a herd that will blindly make our choices over a call or a controversy. Things will change when filmmakers catering to us are made to realize the quality of our choice.

As told to Rajat Rai