 "‘Besharam Rang’: How the controversy surrounding the 'Pathaan' song refuses to die down")
What’s in a colour? A whole lot of politics, as the controversy surrounding Pathaan’s now infamous song
_Besharam Rang_ tells us. The raunchy number starring Bollywood actors Shah Rukh Khan and Deepika Padukone has angered Hindutva groups and politicians. But why? It’s the colour of Padukone’s bikini. The saffron two-piece worn by the lead has angered fringe right-wing groups which claim that it has hurt religious sentiments. Others have found the song objectionable and have called for a boycott of the film. [caption id=“attachment_11836351” align=“alignnone” width=“640”] Deepika Padukone and Shahrukh Khan in Pathaan’s ‘Besharam Rang’ song. YouTube/YRF[/caption] The latest to join the anti-Pathan brigade are politicians from Madhya Pradesh. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=huxhqphtDrM Also read: Shah Rukh Khan's Pathaan, Ranveer Singh's nude photoshoot, Boycott Bollywood: Controversies of 2022 Madhya Pradesh netas angered State home minister Dr Narottam Mishra has said that the outfits worn by Padukone are “highly objectionable” and “the song has been shot with a dirty mindset.” He even stated that the actor is a supporter of the Tukde Tukde gang, alluding to her visit to Delhi’s Jawaharlal Nehru University in January 2020 to express solidarity with students attacked by a mob. He further warned the filmmakers that the scenes and costumes of the song should be corrected or else the film may not be allowed for release in the state.
फिल्म #Pathan के गाने में टुकड़े-टुकड़े गैंग की समर्थक अभिनेत्री दीपिका पादुकोण की
— Dr Narottam Mishra (@drnarottammisra) December 14, 2022
वेशभूषा बेहद आपत्तिजनक है और गाना दूषित मानसिकता के साथ फिल्माया गया है।
गाने के दृश्यों व वेशभूषा को ठीक किया जाए अन्यथा फिल्म को मध्यप्रदेश में अनुमति दी जाए या नहीं दी जाए,यह विचारणीय होगा। pic.twitter.com/Ekl20ClY75
Ever since Mishra raised his voice, complaints have been filed with the Information and Broadcasting ministry against Padukone and Khan for hurting religious sentiments. The Madhya Pradesh Assembly speaker Girish Gautam also opposed the upcoming film. “Shah Rukh should watch this film with his daughter, upload a picture and tell the world that he is watching it with his daughter,” he said, according to a report on NDTV. “This should definitely not be allowed. Will you dish out whatever you feel like? I want to openly say make one such film on Prophet Muhammad and release it in the name of freedom of expression. There will be bloodshed across the world,” Gautam added. **Also read: Bollywood Yearender: From Shah Rukh Khan's Pathaan to Prabhas' Adipurush, films likely to set box-office on fire in 2023** ‘Roll back the song’ Last week, Sri Rama Sena also urged filmmakers to roll back the song or face a boycott. Pramod Muthalik called the song “indecent and vulgar,” and alleged that “Bollywood is in the hands of Dawood Ibrahim, communists and atheists, who have been targeting Hindus and attacking their belief system,” reported IANS. Demand for ban on the film According to PTI, activists of fringe right-wing outfit Veer Shivaji Group staged a protest in Indore calling for a ban on the film. The activists gathered at a road intersection in the city and set effigies of the actors on fire. Similarly, there were protests in Uttar Pradesh where the leaders of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) demanded stringent action against the filmmakers and requested the administration to ban the film. On December 16, Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) sought Khan’s apology for the song. VHP Joint General Secretary Surendra Jain called SRK “arrogant” by saying, “If the actor does not apologise, we will not allow the release of the movie.” **Also read: How Deepika Padukone made us proud at the global level with the prestigious FIFA World Cup** BJP and TMC’s war of words Amid the ongoing row, Trinamool Congress leader and national spokesperson Riju Dutta shared a video of Union Minister and BJP leader Smriti Irani walking the ramp at Miss India 1998 wearing saffron attire. Sharing the video, Dutta wrote, “Rang de tu mohe gerua (Colour me saffron).” The saffron party slammed the Mamata Banerjee-led party saying that the West Bengal chief minister was appointing ‘misogynist men’ as the party’s office-bearers. BJP’s Locket Chatterjee said, “Shame on Mamata Banerjee for appointing such misogynist men as TMC’s national spokesperson. He has no respect for women and the choices they make in life. They resent successful women and their rise. Men like him are responsible for rising crime against women.”
Shame on Mamata Banerjee for appointing such misogynist men as TMC’s national spokesperson. He has no respect for women and the choices they make in life. They resent successful women and their rise. Men like him are responsible for rising crime against women. https://t.co/56WntLxKgb
— Locket Chatterjee (@me_locket) December 16, 2022
Further responding to Riju Dutta’s video, BJP IT-cell head Amit Malviya also shared vocalist Arijit Singh crooning ‘Rang de tu mohe gerua’ at the Kolkata Film Festival, in attendance of Banerjee. He said, “The future of Bengal is saffron.”
At the Kolkata Film Festival, Mamata Banerjee asked Arijit Singh to sing one of his favourites and he chose रंग दे तू मोहे गेरुआ…
— Amit Malviya (@amitmalviya) December 16, 2022
It was an evening of realisations. From Mr Bachchan to Arijit, who reminded Mamata Banerjee, in her backyard, that the future of Bengal is saffron… pic.twitter.com/57n2RztC8B
**Also read: What we liked the most of Shah Rukh Khan and Deepika Padukone’s Pathaan song Besharam Rang** Shah Rukh’s defence Addressing the controversy, SRK, in his speech at Kolkata, said that the country’s social media has become narrow-minded. Further responding to the statement, the VHP leader said that “instead of apologising, SRK has become arrogant.” He said, “By juxtaposing Bhagwa colour with ‘Besharam song’, Shah Rukh Khan’s Pathaan has disrespected the Hindu religion and entire India.”
Impact Shorts
More ShortsBollywood backs Pathaan At the Kolkata Film Festival, Amitabh Bachchan addressed the boycott culture and stated that questions were being raised on civil liberties and freedom of speech. According to ANI, the superstar said, “The 1952 Cinematograph Act set out the structure of censorship as it stands today, upheld by the film certification board (Central Board of Film Certification). But even now, ladies and gentlemen – and I am sure my colleagues on stage will agree – questions are being raised on civil liberties and freedom of expression.”
#WATCH | "Even now, questions are being raised on civil liberties and freedom of expression": Amitabh Bachchan at the 28th Kolkata International Film Festival pic.twitter.com/ycBY5LhRP2
— ANI (@ANI) December 15, 2022
Actor Prakash Raj came in support of the film by slamming the “andh bhakts.” He tweeted, “Disgusting… How long should we tolerate these… Colour Blind #AndhBhakts… #justasking.” Swara Bhasker called out trolls attacking the actors and further criticised the MP minister for suggesting the ban. Sharing the screenshot of the home minister’s remarks, Swara wrote in Hindi that roughly translates as, “Meet the ruling politicians of our country… If you had free time to look at the clothes of actors, who knows, you would have done some work too?!?”
मिलिए हमारे देश के सत्ताधारी राजनेताओं से.. अभिनेत्रियों के कपड़ों को देखने से फ़ुरसत मिलती तो क्या पता कुछ काम भी कर लेते?!? 🙏🏽🤷🏽♀️😬#Pathaan #Pathan pic.twitter.com/03DDrbqoBf
— Swara Bhasker (@ReallySwara) December 15, 2022
Congress leader and actor Divya Spandana also called out misogyny and mentioned how female actors are often targeted by politicians and netizens. She tweeted, “Samantha trolled for her divorce, Sai Pallavi for her opinion, Rashmika for her separation, Deepika for her clothes and many, many other women for pretty much EVERYTHING. Freedom of choice is our basic right. Women are the embodiment of Maa Durga -misogony is an evil we must fight.”
Samantha trolled for her divorce, Sai Pallavi for her opinion,Rashmika for her separation, Deepika for her clothes and many, many other women for pretty much EVERYTHING. Freedom of choice is our basic right. Women are the embodiment of Maa Durga- misogyny is an evil we must fight
— Ramya/Divya Spandana (@divyaspandana) December 16, 2022
TMC leader and actor Nusrat Jahan also extended her support to Padukone and said that it is a “well-planned conspiracy.” In an interview with NDTV, she said that it is not about anyone’s ideology but “a party in power who is trying to create such a picture in a group of people”. “So whatever they are doing, they are nothing spiritual, religious, just a well-planned conspiracy.” “They have a problem with women wearing hijab. They have a problem with women wearing bikini. What they are trying to do… what is called a new, developed India these days is very scary. I fear where it will take all of us in the times to come,” she added. With inputs from agencies Read all the Latest News , Trending News , Cricket News , Bollywood News , India News and Entertainment News here. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
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