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Aamir Khan's intolerance statement 'too extreme', but 'not irrelevant': Sonam Kapoor

Aamir Khan's intolerance statement 'too extreme', but 'not irrelevant': Sonam Kapoor

She also said Pak-India politics should not interfere with the cross-exchange of talent
12 Dec, 2015

Aamir Khan's recent statement about wanting to leave India because of growing intolerance got him a lot of flak from fans and fellow actors, but he has a defender in Sonam Kapoor who says his statement, though 'too extreme', was 'not irrelevant'.

Sonam was speaking at the Agenda Aaj Tak 2015 conference, where she said that intolerance has always been in India:

"We have seen all kinds of riots in the past 60 years. We have too many religions, languages and cultures, but at the same time, there will always be judgments. But the fact that people know about it is a very healthy aspect,” she said.

She went on to speak in support of Aamir Khan for speaking up about India's intolerance problem:

“Aamir Khan has already given clarification on his statement… If somebody is critiquing something it doesn’t make him anti-national. Constructive criticism is always healthy. Aamir, one of the biggest stars of the country, said something and people became so negative towards him. Now, do you think he will ever speak about any issue like that? May be it was too extreme what he said, but it was not irrelevant.”


"I don’t think politics should have any space in the field of arts and sports. The fact that I have worked with Fawad Khan, who is a great actor, is completely separate from the fact that he is a Pakistani,” said Sonam


And she rounded off her views by saying that Pak-India politics should not interfere with the cross-exchange of talent:

“I don’t understand India-Pakistan politics at all, but I think if people from our country can work anywhere in the world, people from other countries can also work here. Nothing is wrong in it. I don’t think politics should have any space in the field of arts and sports. The fact that I have worked with Fawad Khan, who is a great actor, is completely separate from the fact that he is a Pakistani.”

Comments

Irfan UK Dec 12, 2015 02:17pm
I think India is becoming more and more intolerant towards other faiths. All those Indians need to think before going after these faiths is that India belongs to all those people who live there. Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs and Christians and more are all part of India and the same goes for Pakistan. India belongs to an Indian Muslim just as much as it does an Indian Hindu. Pakistan belongs to Pakistani Hindu just as much as it does a Pakistani Muslim. All Indians need to look around the world and see how many Indians work in the Middle East, Europe, America and the rest of the world before trying to kick people out of India. Live and let live.
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Enen Dec 12, 2015 03:44pm
@Irfan UK There is a section which is intolerant.But it's smaller than what most high place and high educated people think due to their own selfishness. They don't become leaders otherwise. Common man has no time to think on intolerance as he is busy in meeting 2 ends. I take my hair cut from a muslim barber,buy chiken & eggs etc .See movies starring khan's etc.We go to friends of different religeions & celebrate occasions too,share food.I could afford to avoid such things.But as I say we are common people and a majority too. Pls live in India and find yourself.That will bury this boggey.
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spart Dec 12, 2015 04:08pm
@irfan "Pakistan belongs to Pakistani Hindu just as much as it does a Pakistani Muslim. " Really?????
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Bob Dec 12, 2015 04:46pm
@Irfan UK for your kind information nobody is kicking people like Amir khan out of India. They are creating an impression like that. Now he says that he doesn't want to leave india. India has given him so much love and fame. Why will he leave. Please do not gauge the mood of the country with few stray incidents.
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Anshul Dec 12, 2015 04:48pm
Agree with sonam.
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M.Saeed Dec 12, 2015 05:33pm
Ignorance and prejudice are the handmaidens of propaganda. Our mission, therefore, is to confront ignorance with knowledge, bigotry with tolerance, and isolation with the outstretched hand of generosity. Racism can, will, and must be defeated. (K.A)
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Kailash Dec 12, 2015 06:00pm
" I don’t think politics should have any space in the field of arts and sports. " Then artists should not make political judgements too.
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Kailash Dec 12, 2015 06:04pm
@Irfan UK, and you are giving this great speech sitting comfortably in UK. Talks a lot about tolerance level of your country. You surely missed the clips of Chennai floods where mosques gave shelters to Hindus and Temples accommodated Muslims. But anyway thanks for enlightening us with your valuable dose of sanity.
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Arjun Dec 12, 2015 06:44pm
The fact is we Maharashtrian don't like this. We just want Maharashtrian people in maharashtra. This applies to bollywpod too. Because all of them are non-maharashtrians in maharashtra.
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charu Dec 12, 2015 07:24pm
@Arjun : Agree...indian specially south is intlerant but only towards "non regioners" ... in mumbai people hate biharis and UP wallas...and rughtly so people from these two states have created a law and order havoc everywhere
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Kailash Dec 12, 2015 07:59pm
@Arjun , "We just want Maharashtrian people in maharashtra. " Your comment is not only not related to topic, but also is stupid. Irrelevant of your true origins this is the most stupid comment I have read in this year. I am a proud Maharashtrian too whose half the friends are non Marathi. May God give you wisdom to make saner comments and strength to post them with your true identity. Get well soon.
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AkhandBharat Dec 12, 2015 08:01pm
Pakistani fellows thinks India is getting intolerant but Pakistani renowned peoples are asking for Indian Citizenship http://zeenews.india.com/entertainment/music/wouldnt-have-sought-indian-citizenship-if-there-was-intolerance-says-adnan-sami_1833736.html
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fida USA Dec 12, 2015 08:15pm
If Hindus were tolerant towards Muslims of India, Jinnah would have stayed in Congress Party and India would have stayed united.
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Anshul Dec 12, 2015 08:29pm
@Arjun just shut up I m maharastrian too living outside Maharashtra throughout my life but never felt neglected or so . chill we are one .
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Rohit Dec 12, 2015 08:48pm
" I don’t think politics should have any space in the field of arts and sports. " Then artists should not make political judgements too.@Kailash Very well put.....its pretty much the best articulation of what most people think of this phony controversy.....most Indians across religion are too busy living their lives to really care what the high and mighty think of the rest of us...
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Proud Pakistani Dec 12, 2015 09:05pm
@spart check minorities in India before making a sarcastic reply....Gujrat riots Babri masjid Sikhs killing and the list goes on before saying really??
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Madan Dec 12, 2015 10:24pm
She has eloquently describe the situation and she is right. Aamir khan is also right to point out the extremism in the Indian society but as Sonam said Aamir khan went too far.
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Proud Pakistani Dec 12, 2015 10:41pm
@Kailash so there is no freedom of expression in India as what you have said and Aamir Khans point has been proved by Indians reaction....
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Uzair Dec 13, 2015 12:04am
Good to hear anyone in india is defending Amir khan , i always think what would he be facing after his statement . People have to think , why he made that statement ? What made him to say ?
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Tamilselvan Dec 13, 2015 12:55am
@Irfan UK . Hi Irfan. In India muslims can have four wives, women if they want can wear full burkha whereas in UK you are not allowed to have four wives. Also during Bakrid you cannot chop a sheep in your backyard whereas it is tolerated in India. So should we label UK an intolerant nation? No. But killing secular writers in Bangladesh and the recent burning of a Ahmedia owned factory and killing of minorities is the height of intolerance.
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Syed Hasni Dec 13, 2015 02:03am
I am more astonished by the response he has received than his statement. A mega star who pays millions in Taxes will be slapped on the face ? I think it would be a slap on the face of the whole Bollywood industry and all those small artist , camera men , spot boys who are there to make both ends meet, hoping that if Amir can ride a hit on Diwali or Eid and there families will have more sweets and new clothes. I think Amir has to be Extreme in this expressions because he is the voice of Indian free world. If Sonam feels that is not irrelevant then it is actually a sign that Amir need to be more extreme about his feelings so that he could protect that person who can not voice for himself. The Prime Minister of India should take notice of it, if a man of his achievement and respect feels unsafe in the country my prayers goes for those downtrodden and have nots who are sleeping on the streets of Mumbai hoping that one day they will be able to hit the jackpot as Amir did.
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afzal Dec 13, 2015 06:04am
Minority in any part of the world is always suppressed
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Akbar Sait Dec 13, 2015 03:33pm
@spart . Pakistan should belong to Pakistani hindus as much as to Pakistani muslims. For me the principle arguments in favour of this proposition , fairness natural justice. For those who do not accept this there is the rational argument that it can be shown that it is a more efficient and rational basis for organizing society if all members have an equal stake in its success. This seems to extend very noticeably to societies where equal citizenship is taken for granted and further there is a conscious effort to reduce economic inequality by taxation and re-distribution.
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schal Dec 13, 2015 07:32pm
@fida USA True. He wanted to become the first prime minister. Gandhiji was OK with that idea but not the congress leaders who were waiting in line. That could have really irked Godse et al who saw the Mahatma as an anti-Hindu.
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Pratik Dec 14, 2015 08:12am
Any comments a superstar makes is bound to be heard and scrutinized by millions so they have be careful what they say publicly especially about sensitive issues. The intolerance debate is rubbish promoted by the opposition against Modi since don't have any constructive agenda. India was is and will always be a tolerant nation. Come to think of it Aamir a muslim actor makes fun of Hindu religion and its gods in PK and people tolerated him. Now imagine in Pakistan, a hindu actor doing the same!!!! Just because of some fringe groups in society Aamir had no business to make the comments he made. There is no other country on this planet which is as diverse and tolerant as India!!!!
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MIR Dec 15, 2015 10:02am
@Kailash there was nothing political what AK said...
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Ajay Dec 15, 2015 03:16pm
@Proud Pakistani Freedoms of expression from both side What he said and what others reacted if he would have been arrested or jailed then it called intolerant There is always be reaction of every action Nothing to do with freedom of speech
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