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People don’t have food on their plates but can fuss over clothes, says Ratna Pathak on Bollywood’s ban movement

People don’t have food on their plates but can fuss over clothes, says Ratna Pathak on Bollywood’s ban movement

The actor finds it "silly" that the colour of a dress became a national subject, in reference to Pathaan's song 'Besharam Rang' being criticised in India.
19 Dec, 2022

The movement to ban films has been dominating Bollywood for the last couple of years and the most recent film to fall victim to the campaign is Shah Rukh Khan’s upcoming movie Pathaan. There was a lot of criticism over the song ‘Besharam Rang’ from the ruling BJP and other quarters about the clothing choices and the colour association. Now speaking to the Indian media, actor Ratna Pathak Shah said that she’s waiting for the day when people get “exhausted with hate.”

In an interview with The Indian Express, Pathak was asked about how she feels to be living in a time where a colour of a dress becomes national subject. She said, “I would say we are living in very silly times, if these are the things that are on top of your mind. It isn’t something that I would like to talk about very much or give much credence to.”

Pathak said that she hopes there are “more sensible people in India” than the ones visible at the moment. For her, what’s happening is a “sense of fear, sense of exclusion” that she does not find sustainable. “I feel humans cannot sustain hate beyond a point. There is an uprise, but then you get exhausted with hate. I am waiting for that day to come,” said the Sarabhai vs Sarabhai actor.

When asked about the devaluation of artists in India, Pathak said, “I have heard that these are the conversations that’s happening. There is no doubt that there is a devaluation of artistes in the minds of the common person — or let’s say, in some minds. And that there is much external motivation and fanning the flame to keep certain issues boiling. It is not a good thing for any society to function like that, I feel that very strongly. Art and craft need sense of freedom, in order to achieve their full potential. It is becoming difficult.”

The 65-year-old also noticed that it’s not only Bollywood that’s facing new challenges but entertainment industries all around the world. She said that the Hindi film industry hasn’t produced stuff that deserves praise or accolades and a lot of the stuff being produced is “pretty horrifying or at best mediocre” but finds it saddening when artistes are labelled the wrong way.

“The effort that goes into making a film is enormous and all this easy branding of films and film people as this or that is such a pity. What a waste of time. Don’t we have other things to think about? Look at our country, the pandemic has wiped-out small-scale manufacturing in our country, people don’t have enough to eat, and we are fussing over who is wearing what clothes?” she reasoned.

The boycott train has been chugging around India for years and it seems it’s catching up to some of the country’s biggest stars.

But as we’re seeing in Pathaan, the criticism seems heavily skewed towards a woman’s clothing. The uproar caused by Deepika Padukone’s orange bikini dwarfed all other criticism of Shah Rukh Khan and anything he did. As Pathak said — what a waste of time. Calls for boycotting movies — or actors over the colour of their clothes — make little sense in the grand scheme of things. There are a lot more problems right now than the colour of Deepika’s bikini.

Comments

Abdul S Dec 19, 2022 04:50pm
Using her logic, people should not watch bollywood movies until they can all eat till they are full. Then she will be jobless. Silly lady.
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FAZ Dec 19, 2022 04:51pm
Stay safe for speaking the truth..
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Gulam ali Dec 19, 2022 05:10pm
Exectly, so, go out and help those needy, rather wasting lots of money making these vulger movies. Utilize that money to help the needy.
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Reality Dec 19, 2022 05:13pm
True mdm but the fuss is not just about color but about those ridiculous poses and low cut bikini and lyrics....hope u get that.. even MP ulema board has asked for a ban
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Dr. Salaria, Aamir Ahmad Dec 19, 2022 05:27pm
At least somebody in India has got the guts and the grit to call a spade a spade. However, it won't be surprising if the racist, bigot, prejudiced, wicked, liar and biased "Butcher of Gujraat" alias Modi and his fascist, cunning, crooked, cruel, crafty, crazy and criminal R.S S. and BJP cronies attack her and destroy her home, personal property and inflict bodily harm to her and her family, friends. peers, pals, relatives, associates and acquaintances.
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Dust2dust Dec 19, 2022 05:55pm
What a vulgar movie.
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Factsmatter Dec 19, 2022 06:13pm
Politicians are parasites. They only say and do things to stay in the news. Why do anything good when they don’t have to.
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Ahmed Dec 19, 2022 06:30pm
There are a lot of other problems always. Then we should either talk about all of them or none of them. Lack of food security and immodesty both are problems.
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jatinder Dec 19, 2022 06:37pm
Is it not appropriate to redo the song in a different color dress.
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NYS Dec 19, 2022 06:57pm
Does It makes sense skeptical.... Rathna P statement Look at our country, the pandemic has wiped-out small-scale manufacturing in our country, people don’t have enough to eat, and we are fussing over who is wearing what clothes?
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Bunny Dec 19, 2022 07:04pm
all this is giving good publicity to this movie . the producers are happy .
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Johnw Dec 19, 2022 07:05pm
Who is this woman ?
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Pakwada Dec 19, 2022 07:52pm
You keep doing and making films in your terms and we will keep saying and doing what we think is right for us.
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Simba Dec 19, 2022 08:33pm
Pathak is a member of the discredited pseudo secular leftist brigade. Her views are irrelevant.
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Mumbaikar Dec 19, 2022 08:35pm
People will make sure that those who "Jis thali mei khate hai usi Mei ched karte hai" are put out of business. No Bindi No Business! Native has woken up! Rootless parasites will not be allowed to suck on native blood, period!
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Zak Dec 19, 2022 08:35pm
Look at our country, the pandemic has wiped-out small-scale manufacturing in our country, people don’t have enough to eat, and we are fussing over who is wearing what clothes?” she reasoned. She has wisely summed up real India. 95% starving and homeless but 5% RSS living off misery of the 95% poverty stricken.
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Zak Dec 19, 2022 08:36pm
Look at our country, the pandemic has wiped-out small-scale manufacturing in our country, people don’t have enough to eat, and we are fussing over who is wearing what clothes?” she reasoned. Indian union half way through the stage that soviet union was, before it disappeared into wisely becoming seperate independent countries, rather then a fake union.
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Zalim Dec 19, 2022 08:39pm
She is quite hated and irrelevant in India.
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Ban NGOs Dec 19, 2022 08:44pm
We should speak out and try to act to solve all social problems of course, but that does not mean that if we are powerless to allow society to fall to ever shallower depths. These people sound like they use the problems in society as an excuse to do as they want.
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Reality Dec 19, 2022 09:35pm
@Abdul S the kind of movie she does is irrelevant...and yet she claims to be an intellectual may be by marrying shah
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a4 Dec 19, 2022 09:42pm
Nothing is in sequence Ratna Shah....morality of the nation cannot be put on the back burner. Already Bollywood has been suspect with its values
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GreenAura Dec 19, 2022 10:12pm
Antinational. 100%. Pakistan sympathiser. Ban her.
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Hamed Dec 19, 2022 11:21pm
What do Sadhus, etc. wear?
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Hanif Dec 19, 2022 11:21pm
So why didn't this skin-baring actress wear green color with crescent moon on it?
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Fairview Dec 19, 2022 11:25pm
People do not have food on their plates.. people who have enough on their plates do not have clothes to wear to cover. Same country that talks about insisting on burkha and hijab now support this attire
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Sena Dec 20, 2022 12:26am
@a4 You have no problem when BJP stooges Kangana, Akshay, do cheap immoral movies. You are clearly biased and have different rules for everyone based on religion.
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Sena Dec 20, 2022 12:30am
@Mumbaikar Your statement clarified that your country is no longer secular. Time for minorities and liberals to move out of India.
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Vinay Mishra Dec 20, 2022 02:30am
she is a fifth columnist hates everything Indian , does not sympathize with common man
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Taj Ahmad Dec 20, 2022 03:24am
Just modify some object-able parts such as dress and nudities in the films and bring it on to cinemas, let’s make everyone enjoy the film. My suggestions to Bollywood producer's and director’s, please review some old movies back in the 1960-1980 and reproduce them again on cinemas again. Bollywood Zindabad.
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secular Dec 20, 2022 03:37am
Ratna Pathak , wife of Nasiruddin is famous for her anti India comments.
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KJ Dec 20, 2022 03:53am
Will such a thing be acceptable in Pakistan?
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Zak Dec 20, 2022 04:02am
@Zalim She is quite hated and irrelevant in India. Under Modi and RSS regime, all wise and intelligent indians are hated by the minority fascists. Just like it happened in fascist Nazi Germany and soviet union.
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Zak Dec 20, 2022 04:05am
@GreenAura Antinational. 100%. Pakistan sympathiser. Ban her. Why so obsessed , she has not even mentioned Pakistan. What inferiority complex.
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s Dec 20, 2022 05:21am
That is exactly why the BJP leader wants to bring up the issue of "clothes used in the movie" so that people are diverted from the "real" issue of rampant hunger prevailing in india.
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DK Dec 20, 2022 06:19am
She have lots of money. How many people she fed? Talk is cheap..
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A L Bux Dec 20, 2022 06:38am
Come again, who is she?
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Truth Hurts Dec 20, 2022 06:48am
@Zak What world do you live in ? Do you just quote any numbers that come to your mind without any basis ? Just google word 'Indian Economy" and you'll know what India has become in last few decades ! 300 Million people have been uplifted from poverty in just last decade - that's more than population of whole Pakistan ! 5th largest economy already and gonna be 3rd largest by 2030 !
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Mukunda Dec 20, 2022 08:10am
a totally wacko woman this, Why would anyone pay to have her talk? Bollywood is run by a mafia that seriously undermines indian values. Indeed, it has been taken over by sleaze merchants from Mahesh Bhatt down to Shah Rukh khan now who makes these ridiculous movies. I am glad the India public are reacting to this enforced new morality based on nudity. Bollywood was exposed after the death of Sushant Singh Rajput, and now these worms have come out of the woodwork when the paying public have now refused to be taken for a ride. "Pathaan's the last time in checked like to wrap up their women like in tents, and not show her half naked gyrating to a plagiarized song and choreography. Keep these movies banned. Good job.
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Yash Dec 20, 2022 08:59am
@Truth Hurts Please follow some international news instead of relying on Godi media which gives fake news and inflated numbers. Anyways, what is the point of economic growth when only 5% of population are reaping dividends and the rest unemployed and starving?
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Yash Dec 20, 2022 09:02am
@Zak Sadly bhakts are in denial and feel offended when someone reminds them that India is still a poor country with majority population starving .
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tell the truth Dec 20, 2022 09:05am
Bollywood used to dictate before. Movies like PK hurt Hindu sentiments. People realized and teaching Bollywood a lesson.
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Truth hurts Dec 20, 2022 10:36am
@Yash Looks like you need to follow the international news and educate yourself ! I was referring to numbers which are public and even quoted by IMF, WHO and at UN. The problem is many people who are still living in the past are not able to believe and trust the meteoric rise of Indian economy ! Similar sentiments were faced by China's rise initially when people used to distrust their economic rise and never thought that they would become world's manufacturing hub and a major economy ! India is also on the same path and reality is that lot of this success is not even due to BJP / Modi alone. It's the major economic policy restructuring that India underwent since 1991 - It's reaping benefits of doing away with license raj and heavy investment in Education, STEM and many sectors that directly contribute to Human Development Index ! The numbers are out there and you can easily see that India is outpacing all it's regional neighbors on all categories of HDI !
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Sane Mind1st Dec 20, 2022 11:49am
She is a silly lady. Will she allow her daughter, friends, etc go clothesless since they have ample food on their dinner tables?
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Sane Mind1st Dec 20, 2022 11:51am
@Zak Than Pakistan will have to face 30 mini Indias. Think about it.
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G H A L I B J E E E Dec 20, 2022 02:14pm
It is because Indians are stup.........
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Babu Dec 20, 2022 02:20pm
Some people loose their sense to just remain in news. Who is this lady??
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Bharat Dave Dec 20, 2022 02:22pm
No surprise. She is wife of biggest Modi baiter.
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Ronak Dec 20, 2022 02:45pm
@Truth hurts Regardless of the massive development in Indian economy since globalisation the fact remains that it also has the highest level of income inequality. No wonder many educated qualified Indians migrate to US, UK , Canada and Gulf countries to take up menial jobs.
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SAM Dec 20, 2022 02:56pm
@Dr. Salaria, Aamir Ahmad What an imaginary world you live it dear doc!!!
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Zak Dec 20, 2022 02:59pm
@Truth hurts Indian union is heading towards soviet union path. Dont even dream of comparing to china, they are super power league. India is ' bikari and nuisamce' league, world treats it as such.
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