Why are celebrities vulnerable

Why is it that every time Bollywood celebrities, mostly the three Khans, comment on any serious issue, it’s always blown out of proportion and they are hounded like crazy by the media and the cyber citizens as if they had done blasphemy?

In a star crazy nation like India where people are interested in knowing everything about their favourite stars, the media seizes the opportunity to raise their ratings and circulation. On the other hand, the general people go hammer and tongs against them on the social media, some questioning their integrity and patriotism and others simply posting distasteful comments.

While everybody has a right to make a comment or feeling publicly as guaranteed by our constitution, why is it that actors are targeted? Nobody has any issue when they talk about their affairs or rivalry with other actors. Is it simply because they are vulnerable and cannot strike back hard as they cannot afford to lose their fan following or antagonise the media on which they are heavily dependent for publicity?

The latest on the target list is Aamir Khan after his comment on the intolerance issue, “As an individual, as a citizen I have also been alarmed, I can’t deny it, by a number of incidents…for the first time Kiran said should we move out of India. That’s a disastrous and big statement for her to make.”

It became a front page headline and there were comments all over social media. Some defended him, arguing that he never said that he would leave India. Others slammed him, saying how could he make such comments for India which made him a star. There were heavy security outside his house and the media was after him for a reaction. Shiv Sena announced a reward for slapping him.

Anupam Kher was critical in his tweet, Dear @aamir_khan. Did you ask Kiran which country would she like to move out to? Did you tell her that this country has made you… But Ram Gopal Verma tweeted positively, “If Aamir, Sharuk and Salman the three biggest stars of the Hindu country “India” are Muslims, I don’t understand where the intolerance is.”  

This is not the first time Aamir came under the media’s scanner. He came under the spotlight when he commented after the Vadodara riots, “I want the people of India to see that here is a political party that does not believe in democracy…”

He also came into focus when he joined the Narmada dam issue with Medha Patkar who was on a hunger strike in Delhi. Though he had not made any political comment and just met her at the venue, the media and many people had dismissed it as a publicity stunt. He also came under attack from doctors after he highlighted malpractice in the medical profession in his programme Satyameva Jayate.

Aamir Khan is not alone to be targeted. Earlier also on several occasions, celebrities had to apologise or take back their comments. Before Aamir, Shah Rukh Khan added his voice to the protest against the 'climate of intolerance' and said that there was "extreme intolerance" in the country, hitting the headline. Then followed the same cycle -- media hounding, social media leaving everything aside to target him and protests by political elements.

BJP leader Kailash Vijayvargiya had painted the actor as "anti-nationalist" and said his "soul" is in Pakistan though he lives in India. He, however, withdrew his controversial remarks but he refused to apologise. Several others follow suit. But this time the otherwise vociferous Shiv Sena, came out in full support of the Bollywood actor and said the superstar should not be targeted only because he is a Muslim and that the minority community in India is "tolerant".

Shah Rukh Khan had earlier entered into a controversy when he said, “I sometimes become the inadvertent object of political leaders who choose to make me a symbol of all that they think is wrong and unpatriotic about Muslims in India. … Rallies have been held where leaders have exhorted me to leave my home and return to what they refer to as my ‘original homeland.”

In another instance, Shahrukh Khan's mention of the Prophet in a quote led to a huge backlash from the Muslim clergy. When he was asked by a magazine, “According to you who is the most impressive figure in history?” he replied, “There are lots of them, some negative ones like Hitler, Napoleon, Winston Churchill and if I can call it history, then Prophet Mohammed and from recent time Nelson Mandela.” “And there are nice ones like Gandhiji and Mother Teresa.”

Later he said, “Obviously, I think there is no figure in history more important than Prophet Mohammed. Also, being a Muslim and standing up for the tenets of Islam is my most important agenda… and if they have seen my interviews, etc on TV about Islam, then the people who are objecting, should realise that what has appeared is a writing error not a thought or view that I believe in. Prophet Mohammed is the most important positive figure in Islam… and anyone who questions my view on that, is doing it just to create a controversy.”

Salman Khan is the media’s favourite because of his court cases. He is also infamous for his controversial comments. On the 26/11 attack in Mumbai, he had commented, “Everybody knows that the Pakistan government was not behind 26/11 attack and it was a terrorist attack.” Later when hell broke loose on his comment all over the media, he said, “Next time main apne sab interview khud bhi record karunga… taki yeh sab controversies na ho…”

Salman Khan also got into trouble when he commented after Yakub Menon’s conviction, “Get tiger (Tiger Memon), hang him. Parade him not his brother. Later he apologised, “I would like to unconditionally apologise for any misunderstanding.” Even his father Salim Khan spoke against him, fearing the ‘anti-national’ backlash. “Whatever Salman has written is ridiculous and meaningless. Salman is ignorant of the issue and people should not take him seriously.”

Salman Khan even faced flak for flying kite with Narendra Modi when he was still campaigning for the Lok Sabha polls and for his association with Sri Lanka’s Mahinda Rajapaksa.

Even Saif Ali Khan had miffed quite a few in Pakistan with his statement, “I have lost faith in Pakistan”. This he said after his film ‘Phantom’ had been banned in the Islamic Republic, following its controversial trailer depicting Pakistan as a hub for terrorists had been released. Some years ago, actress Khushboo came under attack from religious groups and activists over her comments on pre-martial sex, forcing her to issue a clarification. 

While there can be a healthy debate on what they said is right or wrong, what they said cannot surely become news of the day or take half of front pages and prime time slots on TV just because they are celebrities. And nobody for that matter should be shocked when they comment on a serious matter. They are all flesh and blood like us and have every right to make their feelings public. After all the beauty of Indian democracy is that it allows us all to speak aloud. But personal and press liberty shouldn’t become go to the extent that it becomes a vilifying or smear campaign. 

Follow my blog: Mixed Bag