Actors Taapsee Pannu, Dia Mirza, Sonam Kapoor, and Tisca Chopra were among the Bollywood stars who supported actor Jaya Bachchan’s statement in Parliament defending the Hindi film industry.
For we have always stood by the initiatives, causes and awareness campaigns. It’s time for payback. Hitting the nail on its head and how ! 👏🏼 yet again a woman from the industry spoke up 🙏🏼 #Respect https://t.co/CVz1cTlCNw
— taapsee pannu (@taapsee) September 15, 2020
I want to be her when I grow up.. https://t.co/gXMBGu1ifA
— Sonam K Ahuja (@sonamakapoor) September 15, 2020
Jaya, who is a Rajya Sabha MP, made her statement during the Zero Hour in the Parliament on Tuesday. (Zero Hour in the Lok Sabha or Rajya Sabha refers to the time granted to an MP by the Speaker to raise issues of public importance, before the regular business for the day begins at the Parliament.)
Bravo #JayaBachchan.. you have spoken what many many of us have been feeling. A rotten egg or two do not an industry make. We owe the industry big, for giving us a chance to actualise dreams & indeed be the place that has allowed us and our families to prosper 🙏 https://t.co/6AZq6D1ufy
— Tisca Chopra (@tiscatime) September 15, 2020
Jayaji is absolutely right. So grateful that she spoke up for our industry. We are always committed to contribute towards social upliftment and social good. The industry has always helped governments. This vilification of our film industry is unjust and condemnable.
— Dia Mirza (@deespeak) September 15, 2020
Although she did not take any names, it was obvious that Jaya was responding to Marathi actor and Lok Sabha MP Ravi Kishan’s allegation (on Monday) that several people in Bollywood are addicted to drugs. “The NCB has been doing very good work. I urge the central government to take strict action against the culprits soon. Give them a befitting punishment and bring an end to this conspiracy by neighbouring countries,” Kishan had said.
Jaya said in the Parliament on Tuesday, “Just because of a few people, you cannot tarnish the whole industry... I was really embarrassed and ashamed that yesterday one our members in the Lok Sabha, who is from the industry, spoke against the film industry.”
The Producers Guild of India applauds Jaya ji for standing up for our industry #Respect pic.twitter.com/jcSY8tQouY
— Producers Guild of India (@producers_guild) September 15, 2020
The noise around drug abuse in Bollywood started after actor Kangana Ranaut recently alleged that most people in the industry are drug addicts and that the film industry is a “gutter.” She had said this in connection with the judicial investigation into actor Rhea Chakraborty, girlfriend of actor Sushant Singh Rajput who died by suicide in June, for alleged possession of drugs. (Rhea was arrested by the Narcotics Control Bureau last week.)
In response to Kangana’s comment, Jaya added in her speech, “People in the entertainment industry are being flogged by social media. People who made their names in the industry have called it a gutter. I completely disagree. I hope that the government tells such people not to use this kind of language…”
Kangana gave a scathing reply to Jaya on Twitter:
Jaya ji would you say the same thing if in my place it was your daughter Shweta beaten, drugged and molested as a teenage, would you say the same thing if Abhieshek complained about bullying and harassment constantly and found hanging one day? Show compassion for us also 🙏 https://t.co/gazngMu2bA
— Kangana Ranaut (@KanganaTeam) September 15, 2020
Agreeing with Jaya, actor and BJP MP Hema Malini told NDTV, “Bollywood is a beautiful and creative world. This is an art and culture industry. I have great respect for this industry. Whoever has risen in this industry has done so on the basis of their hard work, talent, and luck. You cannot tarnish the image of Bollywood. These are small instances, like a stain on a piece of cloth; we must wash it away.”
‘It’s interesting to see more women have spoken out than male stars.. Jaya Bachchan has hit the nail on the head and I fully support what she said..’ @taapsee on the News Today on @IndiaToday #JayaBachchan
— Rajdeep Sardesai (@sardesairajdeep) September 15, 2020
However, on social media, Ravi Kishan has defended his statement and expressed surprise at Jaya’s statement.
