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Priyanka Bhadani
Priyanka Bhadani

BOLLYWOOD

Karan Vs Kangana—what’s the probable end?

karan-kangana

Tuesday (7.03.17)

(Texting) Me to my friend: My FB timeline is inundated with headlines about Karan Johar making a remark against Kangana.

Friend: I know. God knows what is happening to the film industry.

Me: Was it even necessary to make a statement about her when you were talking at an international platform like LSE (London School of Economics)...

Johar, in a conversation with a senior scribe at LSE, accused Kangana of playing the “victim card” and the “woman card”. He prodded her to “leave the industry” if she is having so many problems.

The friend shares a screenshot of a conversation she had with someone on Facebook. He was still hailing Kangana for the way she answered Johar on his chat show Koffee With Karan. She made sure to say what she wanted to say—called Karan a harbinger of nepotism in the Bollywood industry, reminded him of the time he made fun of her English, and made a snarky remark on how she and he would never have a same idea about poverty.

She had reasons to be hailed. In an industry where outsiders (like Kangana) play safe and stay diplomatic with what they say to the insiders (like Johar) and even otherwise, to make sure they don’t run out of work in an industry run mostly by family-owned film outlets, she had the courage to speak up.

The only thought that came to mind was—why now? Why after so many days? (The episode was aired on 19.02.2017) Why couldn’t he just take it in his stride? After all, it was just one episode of the show where he is often seen making fun of so many guests. If he can do that, he can expect the same to happen to him, too. But, it seems Johar just needed a platform (bigger than his own show) to salvage the situation for himself, to say that he was just being a good “host” by not getting back at the actor.

Wednesday (8.03.17)

A senior journalist’s interview with Kangana is doing the rounds. One line in particular—“Will not compromise on what I deserve”—made by the actor is making headlines. It is being thought as a probable response to Johar’s remark at LSE a day before.

Kangana hasn’t been so discreet ever, I think. She has not. She has often been in the news for making strong statements, even if it rubs people the wrong way. Perhaps, the interview was done before Johar’s response.

Thursday (9.03.17)

Mumbai wakes up to a cover piece on the actor in one of the most widely-read tabloids in the city. She is back to being fiery, feisty and not someone to mince words. In the piece she says, “The Indian film industry is not a small studio given to Karan by his father when he was in his early 20s. That is just a small molecule. The industry belongs to every Indian and is highly recommended for outsiders like me whose parents were too poor to give a formal training. I learnt on the job and got paid for it, using the money to educate myself in New York. He is nobody to tell me to leave it. I'm definitely not going anywhere, Mr Johar."

And she will never go. She has walked her way through.

I had met the actor for the first time as a rookie reporter in Delhi during the promotions of Raaz 2 (Jan, 2009). She starred opposite Adhyayan Suman—her then infamous boyfriend. She was in the news more for her personal relationships than her films. Her association with Aditya Pancholi (a man almost her father’s age) was still being discussed. Most of the questions directed at her were about her personal turmoil than the film that she had come to promote. Her English wasn’t as poised as it is today (Johar and many others, of course, joked about it). But she handled all the questions with utmost care and confidence.

It was just the beginning. She was learning to turn the tirade—more with her work than the confidence she showed in tackling the personal questions shot at her. The following years saw her rise. She wasn’t anymore with Suman, who often denigrated her. She had the power to leave behind what was not working for her, and move ahead with what actually favoured her—her work. She bagged two National Awards, and won accolades for her performance.

Last year, when I met her at a chat show I was working on, she had transformed into a person feistier and confident than ever. The stories of her link-up and the ugly break-up with an A-list star didn’t seem to bother her wee bit. She had worked her way up with the stories, and she still is. A year later she is stronger than ever. The unfortunate debacle of her last film hasn’t affected the person she is, neither have the ungallant remarks made by Johar. She is still the headstrong girl she has always been.

When my friend wonders what is happening to the film industry, I can only think that it’s the same “change” that is happening in different strata of the society—a girl, realising her potential, is fighting for equal rights. Her rights to co-exist in the same manner as every other person does, without the fear of being run-down by patriarchy, misogyny, or nepotism. And Kangana is one of the forerunners of that change in the industry, and even otherwise. That change is, perhaps, also the probable end.

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