Kangana Ranaut says she wasn’t trying to sabotage Gangubai Kathiawadi’s box office by slamming video of girl impersonating Alia Bhatt
Actor Kangana Ranaut and producer Ekta Kapoor were in New Delhi on Wednesday to promote their upcoming reality show AltBalaji Lock Upp. The actor was asked a follow-up question over his social media comment criticizing a baby girl’s viral video in which she recreated Gangubai Kathiawadi’s Alia Bhatt look. Kangana took to Instagram and wrote, “Should this child imitate a sex worker with a beedi in her mouth and rude and obscene dialogue? Look at her body language, is it okay to sexualize her at this age? There are hundreds of other children who are used in the same way.
As the actor promoted his show in New Delhi, she said she was not trying to ‘harm anyone in terms of business’ with her comments, but that it was of an act of dissent.
She said: “Jo 6-7 saal ke bachche hai, woh kisi tarah se exploit ho rahe hai, jab main unki baat kar rahi hoon (I was talking about the exploitation of 6 or 7 year old children). With that, I don’t think it hurts anyone in terms of business or money they’re going to make. Shouldn’t there be a guardian of the conscience of society? Shouldn’t artists also have an opposite point of view?
The Thailaivii star also called the whole issue a “small thought” and said no one’s voice should be silenced just because it might hurt a movie’s box office collection.
“What will happen if there is no opposition? The person will only have his (own) path. I’m not going to jail them or anything, I’m not an authority, I’m only expressing my opinion that it doesn’t seem right to me. Just because my opinion is not in their interest to make money, why should my voice be shut down? Just because it doesn’t serve someone’s economic goals, why should my voice be shut down? No one’s voice should be closed! What I said is for the benefit of girls who are exploited to imitate TikTok videos and imitate a sex worker with a beedi (cigarette) in her mouth,” she added.
Kangana also mentioned that “social media is a place where people can give opposing views” and not just a place for “filters” and “fancy clothes”. “I’m not saying I’m right or they’re wrong. But I’m saying I should have the freedom to say… In the creative field, there’s absolute intolerance for any opposing point of view. That shouldn’t happen, Kangana concluded.