Just gearing up for the main event.
Deepika Padukone
Wizcraft
Sonakshi Sinha
Cesar Manso / AFP / Getty Images
Shahid Kapoor
Cesar Manso / AFP / Getty Images
Athiya Shetty
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Here Is What Bollywood Celebrities Wore To IIFA Rocks 2016
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6 Hilarious, Poignant, And Honest Truths Karan Johar Just Revealed About His Sex Life
When he was 12, he spent a summer lying naked in bed with the fan on, because that’s what he thought a “blow job” was.
Karan Johar penned a column for NDTV titled "I Don't Get Sex — And I'm No Longer Trying" in which he talks about why he doesn't "chase" sex anymore.
Sean Gallup / Getty Images
He writes about being raised by conservative Punjabi parents who were too "shy" to ever have "the talk" which led him to have misguided notions about sex. Like this:
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Which led to this disaster:
JEWEL SAMAD/AFP / Getty Images
Johar writes about being a "fat kid" who grew up feeling unattractive. Which is why his first sexual encounter at the age of 26, ended up being this:
STRDEL/AFP / Getty Images
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Karan Johar Isn’t Apologetic About “Dostana” And Believes It Was Productive For Gay Indians
“The film, at least, brought the conversation of homosexuality into the drawing room of every urban home.”
Back in 2008, Karan Johar produced the Priyanka Chopra, John Abraham and Abhishek Bachchan-starrer Dostana.
Dharma Productions
In a recent interview with Filmfare, Johar opened up about not being apologetic for making the movie:
STRDEL/AFP / GettyImages
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14 Moments From Bollywood's "Dream Tour" Around America That Look Hella Fun
What do you get when you combine 3 actors, 3 actresses, one Karan Johar, and one Badshah, and ship them off to Umreeka? Some great Instagrams.
This year saw the start of The Dream Team tour hopping from one American town to the other, performing at their first ever Bollywood-based concerts, The Dream Tour.
This year's contingent included Katrina Kaif, Alia Bhatt, Parineeti Chopra, Sidharth Malhotra, Varun Dhawan, Aditya Roy Kapur, Badshah and Karan Johar.
Like when Alia, Katrina and Parineeti totally faked sleeping for a good photo op.
And when the whole crew couldn't get any sleep on the flight so they remedied it by doing absolute nonsense.
When this picture of them looking well-fed and happy was taken.
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The "Ae Dil Hai Mushkil" Teaser Is A Good-Looking Mashup Of All Of Karan Johar's Previous Films
Ranbir Kapoor, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Anushka Sharma and Fawad Khan look ridiculously gorgeous in this signature KJo movie.
Karan Johar's Ae Dil Hai Mushkil stars Ranbir Kapoor, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and Anushka Sharma as the leads. And the makers just dropped a minute-and-a-half long teaser of the movie.
Dharma Productions
Dharma Productions
Dharma Productions
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Only A True Bollywood Fan Can Pass This One-Question Quiz
It’s all about loving your movies.
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The Vigil Idiot Reviews "Baar Baar Dekho", The Daftest Love Story In The History Of Time (Literally)
Forget “baar baar”, don’t even watch this once. It’s more stale than this joke.
Newbie Nitya Mehra's Baar Baar Dekho is a great-looking film. Why wouldn't it be, right? What with Sidharth Malhotra and Katrina Kaif's torsos starring as the leads. Now I don't wanna be mean or shallow, but I can't help that their abs are literally more expressive than their faces.
Having said that, they're not the real reason for the suckiness of this time-hopping saga about a girl and her douchecanoe lover. This script has less plot than an Aesop fable for seven-year-olds. Honestly, you should know you're in trouble when the best thing in your project is a promotional song about sunglasses.
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It's Impossible Not To Love K-Jo After Seeing This Brutal, Hilarious Self-Sass About "Bombay Velvet"
“I was amazing. The rest happening around me, pretty much not.”
Karan Johar recently attended the Toronto International Film Festival to talk about his movies, and Bollywood in general.
During the Q&A session, an audience member brought up his role in Anurag Kashyap's Bombay Velvet, Johar's first film as a full-fledged actor.
Johar pulled no punches while indulging in some light-hearted roasting of his own movie, one of Bollywood's biggest financial and critical duds in recent memory.
The audience member insisted that she was being serious about liking the film, much to Johar's surprise and amusement.
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19 Times Bollywood Celebs Effectively And Unstoppably Shut Down Trolls On Social Media
Trollage will not be tolerated.
When Lisa Haydon aptly responded to the king of trolls.
When Sonakshi Sinha came to the defence of other women in Bollywood.
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Nope, Karan Johar Didn't Censor AIB's "Ae Dil Hai Mushkil" Meme; Here's Why It Was Taken Down
Yesterday, All India Bakchod uploaded a joke about Pritam stealing “Bulleya”. Today, it was taken down, and Twitter immediately accused K-Jo of censoring the comedians. “We’ve said worse things about Karan Johar to Karan Johar’s face and he didn’t censor us,” Tanmay Bhat told BuzzFeed. “Why would he do it for a meme?”
“Bulleya”, a song from Karan Johar’s upcoming film Ae Dil Hai Mushkil, released on September 16, and has since come under fire for lifting its opening riff from Papa Roach’s hit song “Last Resort”.
Dharma Productions
Yesterday, comedy collective All India Bakchod uploaded this image to their social media accounts, and it has since been deleted.
The joke is a play on the fact that the song's composer Pritam has been accused of copying other artists on numerous occasions.
All India Bakchod
Over the course of the day, the hashtag #AIBCensored flooded Twitter, swiftly rising to the top of India's trending topics.
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Karan Johar Made Some Empowering Revelations About Battling Anxiety And Depression
“I was making up meetings and reasons for me to leave the city. I found comfort in sleeping on a long-haul flight, waking up in a city where I didn’t have to meet people… It passed because I was medicated, I went through psychology.”
In a tell-all interview with Barkha Dutt, Karan Johar opened up about his struggles with anxiety and depression.
"It is a recent kind of anxiety I have discovered about myself. At one point I thought I was having a cardiac arrest but my doctor said it was an anxiety attack... I stopped feeling excitement and happiness. There was lack of sleep and I was always on the edge...It was the darkest period of my life. I can’t explain the pain, anxiety, anguish. [I felt] helpless. Unhappy. Sad. Wanting to get onto a flight, always leaving the city… and walking the streets of other cities with nothing to say to anyone. Not even getting out of my bed from my hotel room sometimes. I wasn’t able to share this with anyone. I was making up meetings and reasons for me to leave the city. I found comfort in sleeping on a long-haul flight, waking up in a city where I didn’t have to meet people... It passed because I was medicated, I went through psychology. First it was much stronger and then we waned it off and just three months ago I stopped it all."
"I was essentially effeminate as a child. Those days I was called "pansy" and I remember my ears used to turn red with anger. Whenever I heard that word my instinct was to hit. It made me feel like I did not belong. It made me feel abnormal. It made me feel different from the others and I knew I was but it just made me very angry that why am I not conforming to what is considered 'normal'."
Johar confessed that he has stopped caring about conforming and thereby is a happier person now.
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Pakistani Artists Have Been Banned From Film And TV In India; Here's How 12 Indian Celebs Feel
The Indian Motion Picture Producers Association just announced that “until normalcy returns” Pakistani artists are banned from working in Indian film and TV. Films that are already made will be exempted, including “Ae Dil Hai Mushkil”.
The Indian Motion Picture Producers Association just announced that Pakistani actors and technicians will be banned from working in India "till normalcy returns" between the nations.
This decision comes following attacks by Pakistani militants in Uri that led to the deaths of 18 Indian soldiers on September 18, and retaliation by India in the form of surgical strikes last night,
Saif Ali Khan
Getty Images
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Twitter Savagely Shut Down This Jobless Singer's Homophobic Rant Against Karan Johar And Fawad Khan
“Gay bashing and making fun of a mental illness is not funny.”
A lot of Bollywood celebrities have come out against the IMPPA ban on Pakistani artists from working in India, including Karan Johar.
On September 29, following clashes between the Indian army and Pakistani militants, the Indian Motion Picture Producers Association announced that Pakistani artists will be banned from working in Indian film and TV “until normalcy returns”.
Getty Images
Johar's next film, Ae Dil Hai Mushkil, has been at the centre of the controversy as it stars Pakistani actor Fawad Khan.
Str / AFP / Getty Images
On Sunday night, he went on a rant against Johar and Khan on Twitter, referring to Johar as "Mrs Karan Johar Khan".
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Karan Johar Admitted That "Kuch Kuch Hota Hai" Is "Unusually Silly"
“Everything was wrong, but it was written with so much conviction that it made sense.”
You know that cringey feeling when you watch your favourite childhood movie as a grown up and realise how problematic it actually is?
Dharma Productions/ Imaan Sheikh
Now imagine if you were the person who actually made it.
Star World
Karan Johar was asked about Kuch Kuch Hota Hai at the Jagran Film Festival on October 2 and here's what he had to say:
- / AFP / Getty Images
"But it was done with so much conviction, a mother has left eight letters, but kya likha hoga pehli, dusri chhitti may ki woh bachcha padh sake?" he went on to say.
Dharma Productions/Imaan Sheikh
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Cancel Everything You Planned For Sundays Because "Koffee With Karan" Is Coming Back
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Anushka Sharma Slapped Ranbir Kapoor For Real During A Shot But He Took It Pretty Well
The dedication is real.
Ranbir Kapoor-Anushka Sharma starrer Ae Dil Hai Mushkil has been the topic of conversation for the past couple of months.
And one can't really blame people for thinking that way.
But behind all this cuteness is some legit method acting.
As it turns out, that slap was real AF.
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Anurag Kashyap Got Trolled For Tweeting To Modi About The Ban On "ADHM", And Clapped-Back Perfectly
“I refuse to live in the fear created by blind fanatics that you cannot have a conversation with your PM or question him or expect from him.”
The Cinema Owners Exhibitors Association of India recently announced that it won't release Ae Dil Hai Mushkil in single screen theatres across Maharashtra, Gujarat, Karnataka and Goa, as it stars Pakistani actor Fawad Khan.
NDTV reports that nearly 450 cinema owners have supported this decision. The decision comes in the wake of ongoing clashes between India and Pakistan post-Uri attacks.
Dharma Productions
"Today, the meeting of Cinema Owners Exhibitors Association of India took place and it was decided that keeping in mind the patriotic feelings and the national interest of our country, we request all our members and exhibitors to refrain from screening movies which have involvement of any Pakistani artist, technicians, directors, music directors etc. We are also in the process of requesting other associations connected with the film industry to support the sentiments in the best interest of our nation."
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Sonakshi Sinha Gave KJo An Award For "Kuch Kuch Hota Hai" In 1999 In The Most Adorably Awkward Way
Little Sona having her own fangirl moment wayyy before she was a star.
Getty Images
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Anurag Kashyap Told Off Journalists Who Miscontrued His Tweets To PM Modi
Kashyap, who was tweeting about the ban on Ae Dil Hai Mushkil clarified that he wasn’t asking the Prime Minister for an apology.
On October 16, Anurag Kashyap tweeted a series of questions to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
This came after the Cinema Owners Exhibitors Association of India recently announced that it won’t release Ae Dil Hai Mushkil in single screen theatres across Maharashtra, Gujarat, Karnataka and Goa, as it stars Pakistani actor Fawad Khan.
Vittorio Zunino Celotto / Getty Images
Today, in a Facebook post, he ended up clarifying his tweets after it made national news.
Sujit Jaiswal / Getty Images
"I’m also well aware that the government did not cry “BAN" or demand that Pakistani artists be sent back. Just as I’m aware that the PM himself doesn’t censor my films. But we elected them and so it is their responsibility to protect us from bullies — media or political parties. And when the governing party's designated members don't respond in hours of crisis because they are second guessing the mood of the PM then I would rather talk straight to the PM himself. There was also sarcasm in the tweet that followed; ‘Bharat Mata Ki Jai’ was for those mindless trollers who constantly ask for proof of your patriotism. Apparently thats all it takes. It was a jibe at them."
Since the series of tweets made headlines, Kashyap has alleged that journalists have been harassing him.
He later deleted the post.
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Karan Johar Spoke About Being A Patriot And Not "Engaging Talent" From Pakistan
In a heartbreaking video, Johar talks about being hurt that ADHM has got him the “anti-national” label.
Cinema Owners Exhibitors Association of India announced that Ae Dil Hai Mushkil won't be released in single screen theatres across Maharashtra, Gujarat, Karnataka and Goa as it stars Fawad Khan.
Dharma Productions
And after staying silent for two weeks, ADHM's director-producer Karan Johar released an official statement addressing the conversation around the movie:
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This Comedian Staged A Sarcastic Protest To Make An Important Point About The Pakistani Artist Ban
“All I am doing is burning some ajwain to give an easy route for patriots to show their love for the country.”
The Cinema Owners Exhibitors Association of India recently announced that Karan Johar's Ae Dil Hai Mushkil won’t be released in single screen theatres in some states, as it stars Pakistani actor Fawad Khan.
The decision will be enforced in Maharashtra, Gujarat, Karnataka and Goa, following threats of violence from protesters like the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena, who have deemed movies with Pakistani artists "anti-national" because of tensions between the two nations.
Dharma Productions
Last evening, the controversy was fuelled further after Johar released a video stating that he would "not engage with talent" from Pakistan in the future, while pleading with the protesters to let his movie release smoothly.
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The "Dear Zindagi" Teasers Will Make You Wonder Why Alia And SRK Never Did A Movie Together Before
Can I have Shah Rukh Khan as my life coach too?
Shah Rukh Khan and Alia Bhatt are coming together in a movie for the first time ever.
But not as romantic leads.
Red Chillies Entertainment
The first teaser of the movie, released on October 19, has Bhatt and Khan playing kabaddi with the sea because "life is a game":
In the second teaser, which released today, Bhatt adorably cracks awful jokes while Khan urges her to do better.
Red Chillies Entertainment
Not a lot about the plot has been revealed in the two teasers but it seems like SRK plays Bhatt's life coach in the film.
Red Chillies Entertainment
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The Vigil Idiot Reviews "Ae Dil Hai Mushkil", A Reminder That In Bollywood "No" Means ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Karan Johar shows us the journey of a man learning about love, friendship, and being a borderline abusive crybaby.
After all the controversy, Karan Johar's Ae Dil Hai Mushkil, finally released this past weekend to mixed reviews. The movie is undeniably great looking, with talented actors such as Ranbir Kapoor and Anushka Sharma (playing leads Ayan and Alizeh) leading the show. The story, however, is more than a wee bit problematic, and not just because of how much it resembles literally every film Kapoor has starred in since his debut. (How many years can you keep coming of age, bro?)
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Can You Identify The Dharma Movie From A Single Frame?
Yeh quiz nahi asaan, bas itna samajh lijiye.
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17 Hilarious Moments From Varun Dhawan And Arjun Kapoor's "Koffee With Karan" Episode
Arjun is the typical bully other brother.
Childhood BFFs Arjun Kapoor and Varun Dhawan appeared on Koffee With Karan for the first time.
When Arjun recalled Varun's hamming in acting school.
When Karan asked Arjun what he does for sex now that he's single.
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18 Hilarious Moments From Ranbir Kapoor And Ranveer Singh's "Koffee With Karan" Episode
They are probably this season’s most entertaining guests.
After some serious hype, Ranbir Kapoor and Ranveer Singh finally appeared together on tonight's Koffee With Karan episode.
For those who don't know what the hype was about, here's some context: Ranbir Kapoor is Deepika Padukone's ex, who is now allegedly in a relationship with Ranveer Singh.
When Ranveer threatened to hurl Karan Johar's own shoe at him.
When he made more fun of Karan's taste in shoes.
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Karan Johar Admits To Bollywood Being Sexist But Blames The Audience
“Few women could break the shackles in mainstream cinema.”
In a recent interview with Firstpost, Karan Johar spoke at length about his latest release Ae Dil Hai Mushkil, the controversy surrounding it and the disparity between actors and actresses in Bollywood.
Stringer / AFP / Getty Images
When asked if the Hindi film industry is sexist in its treatment of women, on and off screen, Johar replied:
STR/AFP / Getty Images
STRDEL/AFP / Getty Images
When further questioned about why the industry works against women getting strong roles to build an audience over decades, Johar said:
STR/AFP / Getty Images
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13 Hilarious Moments From Parineeti Chopra And Aditya Roy Kapur's "Koffee With Karan" Episode
Parineeti Chopra was relentless in her savagery towards Aditya Roy Kapur.
This week, Aditya Roy Kapur and Parineeti Chopra appeared together on Koffee With Karan.
After working together on the career-altering flop, Daawat-e-Ishq, Parineeti and Aditya went on to become the chillest and tightest of friends.
When Parineeti reminisced about the time Katrina Kaif doubled as her strict physical trainer.
And the time when she thought that working out with Katrina would certainly kill her.
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38 Photos Of Celebrities At Manish Malhotra's 50th Birthday Party
Everyone dropped everything to get together and celebrate the fashion designer’s milestone birthday.
Last night, Manish Malhotra threw a star-studded bash to ring in his 50th birthday.
Viral Bhayani
Abhishek Bachchan and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan.
Viral Bhayani
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KJo Made Salman Khan Play Marry-Hookup-Befriend Instead Of Marry-Hookup-Kill Because... Awkward
Hmmm…
The 100th episode of Koffee With Karan airs this weekend, featuring Salman Khan and his two brothers, Sohail and Arbaaz.
Star World
Now, one of the games Johar likes to play is "Marry, Hookup, Kill", where he gives his guests some names and makes them choose which person they would assign to each of the options.
Johar, of course, played the game with Salman too. But not before making a ~subtle~ change to the rules.
If you're wondering what prompted the change from "kill" to "befriend", it might have something to do with the fact that Khan was literally charged with killing a man in the infamous 2002 hit-and-run case.
Khan was found guilty of all charges in May, 2015. Despite being acquitted on appeal later that year, Khan's credibility has taken quite a hit over the past decade.
Indranil Mukherjee / AFP / Getty Images
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The 11 Most Awkward Moments From Salman, Arbaaz And Sohail Khan's "Koffee With Karan" Episode
Salman Khan is still a virgin.
For its 100th episode, Koffee With Karan had Salman Khan, Arbaaz Khan and Sohail Khan as guests on the show.
When Salman lied once again.
When this painful moment went down between the less popular Khan brothers.
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16 Of The Cutest Moments From Aamir Khan's "Koffee With Karan" Episode
Aamir Khan as dad will definitely make you want to call yours.
Aamir Khan was the guest on tonight's episode of Koffee With Karan. He came along with his Dangal co-stars/on-screen daughters, Sanya Malhotra and Fatima Sana Shaikh.
When Fatima thought that casting her in Dangal would be a mistake.
When Fatima explained how she became tight with her co-star Sanya.
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It's Been Two Years Since AIB's Controversial Roast: Enjoy These 15 WILD Jokes From It
On this day in 2014, the Indian comedy scene changed forever.
On December 20, 2014, All India Bakchod teamed up with Karan Johar, Ranveer Singh, and Arjun Kapoor to put on AIB Knockout, an unprecedentedly out-there show for Indian audiences.
They were joined by Aditi Mittal, Abish Mathew, Rajeev Masand, and Raghu Ram as fellow roasters. 4,000 people watched the event live in Mumbai, and millions of others watched it on YouTube.
AIB
However, a few days after they uploaded the show online, shit completely hit the fan. Court cases and threats were issued against the group for being too "vulgar and derogatory".
While the outrage may have died, no one else has dared to attempt a no-holds-barred show on this scale since.
AIB
Imaan Sheikh / All India Bakchod
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19 Hilarious Moments From Katrina Kaif And Anushka Sharma's "Koffee With Karan" Episode
Katrina Kaif should be a stand-up comedian.
Anushka Sharma and Katrina Kaif made an appearance together on Koffee With Karan.
When Katrina shaded the popularity of the show while being on the show.
When Anushka and Katrina revealed why they connect.
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18 Hilarious Moments From Shahid Kapoor And Mira Rajput's "Koffee With Karan" Episode
If I ever get into an arranged marriage, I want it to be like theirs.
Shahid Kapoor and his wife Mira Rajput were tonight's guests on Koffee With Karan and it was a big deal because it was Rajput's first time on a Bollywood chat show.
When Karan Johar brought up Shahid's exes first thing on the show.
When Mira recalled putting her foot in her mouth as she slammed Bollywood's sexism the first time she met her future in-laws (who are also seasoned Bollywood actors).
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24 Of Your Favourite Bollywood Celebrities' First Tweets
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14 Hilarious Moments From Sidharth Malhotra And Jacqueline Fernandez's "Koffee With Karan" Episode
What’s the procedure to become Jacqueline’s BFF?
Jacqueline Fernandez and Sidharth Malhotra were tonight's guests on Koffee With Karan.
They came together to pre-promote their August 2017 release Reload. It was also Jacqueline's first time on the show.
When Karan Johar bombarded Sidharth with several questions about his relationship status.
When both Sidharth and Jacqueline suspected that Arjun Kapoor would show up any second because he probably lives on the KwK sets.
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Bollywood Stars Don't Take Stands Like Meryl Streep Because Our Freedom Of Speech Is A Farce
Handout / Getty Images
Early this week, Meryl Streep took the stage at the 74th Golden Globe Awards to receive the Cecil B. Demille award for “outstanding contributions to the world of entertainment”: a lifetime achievement award.
Hollywood’s biggest stars watched her speak with rapt attention
Streep, considered one of the best actors in the world, chose not to speak of her own illustrious achievements, but to use the platform – the third-most watched awards show in the world – to deliver a stinging rebuke to the United States’ president-elect, Donald Trump.
Streep condemned Trump’s racist nationalism by speaking of diversity, pointing out the varied backgrounds of celebrated entertainers in the room.
Trump badmouths the press, singles out journalists he dislikes, and blacklists media outlets that give him negative coverage, so Streep called on the film industry to support freedom of journalists and the press.
Hollywood’s biggest stars watched her speak with rapt attention, several teary-eyed.
“Our stars” would never do this.
While the world applauded Streep’s no-holds-barred, anti-establishment stand, the Indian internet was quick to draw a contrast with Bollywood stars’ silences on national issues.
“Our stars” would never do this, came the unanimous verdict.
But can we blame them?
Freedom of expression exists, but so do adequate consequences.
The combination of a ruling party that thrives on (Trump-like) exclusionary nationalism and a big media ecosystem that’s increasingly under corporate control is rendering political debate inert in India.
Freedom of expression exists, sure, but if the views you express are counter to the interests of the government, so do adequate consequences.
Journalist Swati Chaturvedi’s recent book I Am a Troll alleged that the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party government directly coordinates social media attacks on opposition leaders, prominent journalists, and celebrities who voice anti-BJP (somehow equated with “anti-national”) opinions.
This is done via a large pool of volunteers who function as “trolls” on Facebook and Twitter, targeting liberal opinions and voices.
Punit Paranjpe / AFP / Getty Images
Saadhavi Khosla, a former BJP volunteer who’s quoted extensively in the book, notes that after Aamir Khan made remarks on growing intolerance in India last year, lakhs of trolls were organised to abuse him on Twitter and to downgrade the Snapdeal app, of which he was brand ambassador. Within a couple of days, Snapdeal dropped Khan’s endorsement deal.
More than a year later, the hatred continues, with calls to boycott his latest film, Dangal, still visible on social media.
That same month, in an NDTV interview, Shah Rukh Khan lamented India’s “extreme” and “growing intolerance”.
Social media flooded, predictably, with calls to boycott his upcoming releases. There is enough evidence to suggest that the collections of his two subsequent releases, Dilwale (2015) and Fan (2016), were affected at least somewhat.
Pakistani artists in Bollywood became a hot-button issue after the Uri attacks.
Last month, presumably to avoid a similar fate for his upcoming Raees, Shah Rukh Khan met with Maharashtra Navnirman Sena leader Raj Thackeray to assure him that he won’t work with actors from Pakistan in the future. (Pakistani artists in Bollywood projects became a hot-button issue after September’s Uri attacks, which killed 17 Indian soldiers. Raees stars Mahira Khan, a popular Pakistani actress, making her Bollywood debut.)
Khan’s promise to Thackeray is reminiscent of Karan Johar’s now-infamous video from last October in which he wore the downcast look of a man speaking at gunpoint as he resolved not to work with “talent from the neighbouring country”.
Johar’s then-upcoming film Ae Dil Hai Mushkil featured Pakistani actor Fawad Khan, and Thackeray’s party had threatened to vandalise multiplexes exhibiting the film, a tactic pioneered by his uncle Balasaheb.
Between online mobs and threats of physical violence, right-leaning political parties have set a trend that pervades social media: celebrities facing boycott and threats for liberal stances that could be construed as anti-government, anti-Hindu, or anti-Modi (each of which seems increasingly interchangeable with the blanket “anti-national”).
Sometimes taking the stand results in no actual change.
Neha Dhupia was widely trolled for criticising Bombay’s flooded streets during the monsoon, Anushka Sharma for calling for a noise-free Diwali, Sonakshi Sinha for criticising the beef ban, Swara Bhaskar for her criticism of the clampdown on Jawaharlal Nehru University, her alma mater. The list is long.
Str / AFP / Getty Images
Even worse, sometimes taking the stand and weathering the storm of abuse results in no actual change. Back in 2015, filmmakers like Dibakar Banerjee and Anand Patwardhan returned their National Awards to protest against the government’s attempted conservative revamp of Film and Television Institute of India (FTII) in Pune. Two years later, the issue remains unresolved, and a campus that was once a safe haven for progressive ideals recently played the national anthem in its in-campus main theatre for the first time in history.
Certain media outlets have been taking noticeably nationalist stances.
If organised efforts on social media weren’t enough, add sensationalist, corporate-controlled news media to the mix.
In recent times certain outlets have been taking noticeably nationalist stances using a new form of advocacy journalism, pioneered in India by one Mr Goswami, that invites members to participate in panel discussions whose outcomes have already been decided.
Am I imagining this? Let’s talk about one such TV debate, around the Uri attacks, held on the Hindi news channel IBN7 in early October.
Amongst the panelists was the late character actor Om Puri, who, while supporting the Narendra Modi government’s “surgical strikes” against incursions at the Line of Control in Kashmir, maintained he was against the idea of boycotting artistes from Pakistan.
Om Puri was against the idea of boycotting artistes from Pakistan.
Puri, who was one of our best-known crossover stars, had worked in a number of international films, including the Pakistani film Actor in Law (2016).
He agitatedly insisted on continuing to work with Pakistani artistes and warned against the dangers of turning the India-Pakistan conflict into “another Israel and Palestine”.
As the anchor, Sumit Awasthi, aggressively presented an emotional appeal, asking him to think about a young soldier who had died in the attacks, Puri exploded: “So, did I ask him to join the army?”
Vito Amati / Getty Images
His attempts to contextualise this comment were drowned out by the outraged cries of other panelists, which included former army chiefs and the anchor himself.
Puri's attempts to contextualise his comment were drowned out.
The clip spread all over social media and made its way to many outraged WhatsApp groups.
Massive backlash ensued, with Puri receiving the choicest abuse from online trolls as well as outright condemnation from the media (exhibit A: this dna article on the matter, its headline prefixed with “Shocking” and ending with an exclamation point).
Puri backtracked almost immediately, reiterating that his father was an army man and that he was proud of “our soldiers”. At a press conference a day later, he explained that those words came out of his mouth in the heat of the moment because of Awasthi’s constant interruptions.
“There is no justification for what I’ve said,” he said. “I’m not asking for forgiveness; I’m asking for punishment.”
Puri backtracked almost immediately.
We punished him all right. Puri passed away after a sudden heart attack last week, at the age of 66. Even as the country mourned his loss, tweets and Facebook comments branding him “scum” and “Pakistani dog” sat among the tributes.
Cherry-picked or not, these comments exist. People have read them. Many may have even silently agreed with them.
Actor Leonardo Dicaprio denounced the “politics of greed”.
Streep’s speech wasn’t the first time a Hollywood A-lister has taken a strong anti-establishment stand on a high-profile stage.
Actor Leonardo DiCaprio, known for his efforts related to the environment, minced no words during his Best Actor Oscar acceptance speech last year, where he denounced the “politics of greed”.
Mark Ralston / AFP / Getty Images
Alec Baldwin, having mastered an unflattering impression of the president-elect, deployed it on Saturday Night Live and social media through the elections to shed light on Trump’s various shortcomings.
Such stands exist in the context of the United States’ First Amendment.
Such stands exist in the context of the United States’ First Amendment, whose protections of the freedom of expressions are considered some of the broadest in the industrialised world.
Expecting the same from Indian celebrities, whose opinions exist in the opposite context of quickly-tightening freedoms and swiftly delivered punishments to business, reputation, and mental wellbeing, is a tough ask.
If our celebrities aren’t being more outspoken, it’s for one main reason: They don’t want the trouble.
They don’t want the death threats, or the losses, or for their families to be targeted and embarrassed.
Our celebrities don’t want the death threats or the losses.
Amitabh Bachchan has expressed this sentiment several times, citing the continued accusations over his involvement in the Bofors scandal — even after his name has been cleared — as the reason he chooses to stay silent on many issues.
I believe that the break-up of people who are liberal, conservative, and apolitical isn’t that different in Bollywood as it would be in any slightly diverse sample size of our population.
But in an environment like the one we live in today, where an ideological war being waged even on social media seems to have measurable real-world impact, it is important to realise that outspokenness needs support in order to sustain itself.
Outspokenness needs support to sustain itself.
Our celebrities have this power, yes, but truth be told they don’t owe us anything other than a good time at the movies or on TV shows. We criticise the celebrities who don’t say anything, assuming their shield of money and power can deflect any hatred directed their way. Sure, stars like Aamir and Shah Rukh Khan losing an endorsement deal or a few crores at the box-office is of little concern to us, but to what extent can money buy them relief from repeated, targeted abuse?
Public memory is short; news cycles, at this point in time, even shorter. If we want our celebrities to speak truth to power, we need to keep supporting the ones who do, long after topics have stopped trending and headlines have disappeared from our newsfeeds.
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15 of The Best-Dressed Celebs At The "xXx: The Return Of Xander Cage" Mumbai Premiere
Of course, Deepika won the red carpet game with her gold star look.
Deepika Padukone
Vin Diesel
Viral Bhayani
Ranveer Singh
Viral Bhayani
Shahid Kapoor
Viral Bhayani
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14 Reasons Priyanka Chopra Is The Funnest, Goofiest Person To Have On Any Talk Show
Sassy, goofy, and all around boozy.
Priyanka sassily reprimands anyone who jumps to conclusions.
She effortlessly shuts down questions about rumoured romantic entanglements.
She gives us untethered access to her dating tactics.
She is literally up for anything. Like whooping Jimmy Fallon's ass at bobbing for apples...
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Karan Johar Put A Pride Badge On His Backpack To Show Solidarity With The LGBT Community
He knows how to make a powerful statement without using any words at all.
Karan Johar has always maintained that his sexual orientation is his business alone.
STRDEL/AFP / Getty Images
And that he won't expressly discuss it because of the country's rigid laws against homosexuality.
Ritam Banerjee / Getty Images for Paramount Pictures
And despite the relentless hate he might receive from certain sections of society...
Ritam Banerjee / Getty Images for Paramount Pictures
Last night, Johar was spotted with this backpack. Notice, that tiny rainbow patch on it?
Viral Bhayani
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16 Pure Moments That Prove Bollywood Isn't All Catfights And Drama
Don’t believe everything you read in the tabloids.
When Alia wanted Sonam to know how much she inspires her.
And when Sonam felt the same way about Alia.
When Anushka had Katrina's back after a break up.
When Kareena wholeheartedly admitted that Priyanka is making everyone proud.
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18 Of The Most Hilarious Moments From This Season's "Koffee With Karan" So Far
We’re halfway done so here’s a list.
When Parineeti Chopra was a ruthless BFF to Aditya Roy Kapur.
Hotstar
When Mira Rajput couldn't keep a secret.
Hotstar
When Kareena Kapoor Khan had no bandwidth for diplomacy.
Hotstar
When Jacqueline Fernandez felt let down.
Hotstar
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13 Hilarious Moments From Tiger And Jackie Shroff's "Koffee With Karan" Episode
It’s unfortunate that Madhuri Dixit couldn’t make it for this.
On tonight's episode of Koffee With Karan, father and son Jackie Shroff and Tiger Shroff graced the couch for the first time ever.
When Jackie outed himself as possibly the worst wingman ever.
When he acted like a cocky millennial.
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20 Hilarious Moments From Sania Mirza And Farah Khan's "Koffee With Karan" Episode
Farah Khan is the sassy BFF we all deserve.
Sania Mirza and Farah Khan were tonight's guests on Koffee with Karan.
And if you're wondering why, it's because they've been close friends for almost eight years and are quite fond of each other despite belonging to different industries.
When Karan Johar straight up asked the question that mattered to him.
When Sania was uncomfortable.
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19 Bollywood Actors Who Almost Got Cast In Iconic Roles But Didn’t
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17 Hilarious Moments From Alia Bhatt And Varun Dhawan's "Koffee With Karan" Episode
Varun’s general knowledge is no better than Alia’s.
Alia Bhatt and Varun Dhawan were tonight's guests on Koffee With Karan.
The two have already made separate appearances this season, but they returned to promote their upcoming movie Badrinath Ki Dulhania.
When Karan Johar wanted Varun to curb his attention-seeking ways.
When Varun recollected being yelled at by Karan on a film set.
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18 Hilarious Moments From Kangana Ranaut And Saif Ali Khan's "Koffee With Karan" Episode
Kangana got real AF about being snubbed by Karan due to being an “outsider” and got a long overdue apology.
Kangana Ranaut and Saif Ali Khan were tonight's guests on Koffee With Karan.
The duo made an appearance together to promote their upcoming film Rangoon. This was also Kangana's debut on Karan Johar's show.
When Kangana set the tone, early in the episode, of straight up confrontational realness.
When Saif tried to start a fight between Alia and Kangana for no damn reason.
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10 Hilarious Moments From The Directors Special "Koffee With Karan" Episode
Zoya Akhtar is the sassiest of them all.
Karan Johar hosted a "Director's Special" for tonight's episode and invited Zoya Akhtar, Imtiaz Ali and Kabir Khan to be part of it.
When Zoya tried seducing Karan.
When she talked about an actress turning down Priyanka Chopra's role in Dil Dhadakne Do.
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Karan Johar Tried Explaining Sexuality To Saif Ali Khan, And Saif Was Problematic As Hell
For anyone who still insists Karan Johar isn’t working to educate India about sexuality…
Kangana Ranaut and Saif Ali Khan were last week's guests on Koffee With Karan. As part of the "Koffee shots" game, Karan Johar asked both actors if they've ever experimented sexually with anyone from the opposite gender.
When asked if he too ever kissed another person from the same gender, Saif said:
And he really wanted everyone to know that he has "never been gay" (despite Karan trying his best to explain that it's not as black and white as Saif might think):
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