Text Size: A- A+

‘Why aren’t these questions asked to politicians? What can I do as an actor?’ is what Chopra said at the Penguin Annual Lecture in New Delhi.

Why do those with important voices often hesitate to lend it to important causes? And why is it that when they do, their voices are soaked in done-to-death cliches? The Penguin Annual Lecture by Priyanka Chopra was a reminder of this sad truth.

To be fair, not everyone – especially when they have little to add to a certain discourse – needs to have an opinion on everything. But should that luxury be extended to someone who has, through her work and every decision she’s made, broken the glass ceiling? Should she be given the luxury to condemn, call out and criticise hierarchies and abuse of power only in safe and abstract ways without actually saying anything that would disrupt the status quo?

As she began her lecture as one of the leading superstars of the Indian film industry, Chopra touched upon on some of the most pertinent issues for women, actors, and racial minorities in the 21st century. Full credit to her for that. But here’s the problem: she only touched upon them.

A storm took over the film industry over the release of Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s period drama Padmavati. From the film industry to the Gujarat elections – there was no space that remained unaffected by the brouhaha. When asked to comment on it, though, Chopra did exactly what someone with a fraction of her success and influence would do – duck it, and instead blame the media. The media would only use her name on the ticker to get TRPs, she said accusingly.

“Why aren’t these questions asked to politicians? What can I do as an actor?”

After delivering an entire lecture on being feisty and fearless, this is what it boiled down when asked a question that mattered – what can she even do? Does her voice even count? Never mind that her voice and her ability to influence a discourse was precisely why she found herself on that stage.

Chopra spoke about feminism, harassment, and sexism, but failed to say anything that would ensure anything more than a thumping applause by a star-struck Delhi audience.

On marriage, she threw some more cliches. “I’d love to get married but need to find someone who deserves me,” she quipped – only reinforcing the stereotype that successful women have a hard time finding a match because men, unlike the hundreds of celebrity wives, can’t be trophy spouses.

None of this is to diminish the value of her words. It is, in fact, only a regret that powerful voices like her prefer comfort over risk, status quo over disruption.

To be fair, nothing that Chopra said would leave anyone sulking – but that’s the problem. For how long will women who claim to be fiercely independent promote a brand of innocuous, non-disruptive feminism, and be hailed as brand ambassadors of a movement that must thrive on radical words and choices?

The choice of Chopra as the person to deliver the Penguin Annual Lecture was in itself an inexplicable one and has been criticised enough. Bollywood actors play many characters, including literature giants, on screen, and bring them to life for people who otherwise wouldn’t ever know of them. They really need not be asked to do it in real life, where authors can represent their own kind.

Subscribe to our channels on YouTube & Telegram

Why news media is in crisis & How you can fix it You are reading this because you value good, intelligent and objective journalism. We thank you for your time and your trust. You also know that the news media is facing an unprecedented crisis. It is likely that you are also hearing of the brutal layoffs and pay-cuts hitting the industry. There are many reasons why the media’s economics is broken. But a big one is that good people are not yet paying enough for good journalism. We have a newsroom filled with talented young reporters. We also have the country’s most robust editing and fact-checking team, finest news photographers and video professionals. We are building India’s most ambitious and energetic news platform. And have just turned three. At ThePrint, we invest in quality journalists. We pay them fairly. As you may have noticed, we do not flinch from spending whatever it takes to make sure our reporters reach where the story is. This comes with a sizable cost. For us to continue bringing quality journalism, we need readers like you to pay for it. If you think we deserve your support, do join us in this endeavour to strengthen fair, free, courageous and questioning journalism. Please click on the link below. Your support will define ThePrint’s future. Support Our Journalism

Show Full Article