Speaking at the Ramnath Goenka Excellence in Journalism Awards, the 50-year-old actor said, “When I chat with Kiran at home, she says 'Should we move out of India?' That's a disastrous and big statement for Kiran to make.
Recently, Aamir Khan grabbed the headlines when he added his voice to the intolerance debate. Speaking at the Ramnath Goenka Excellence in Journalism Awards, the 50-year-old actor said, “When I chat with Kiran at home, she says 'Should we move out of India?' That's a disastrous and big statement for Kiran to make. She fears for her child. She fears about what the atmosphere around us will be. She feels scared to open the newspapers every day. That does indicate that there is this sense of growing disquiet, there is growing despondency apart from alarm. You feel why this is happening, you feel low. That sense does exist in me.”
Everyone from politicians to celebrities to the average Indian citizen had a take - for or against - on what Aamir had to say. But he is not the first Indian actor to speak out against intolerance in India. And he is definitely not the first celebrity who wanted to leave India because of this issue. (Read: Twitter makes Aamir Khan cry)
Rewind to circa 2013 and it was Indian actor Kamal Haasan who spoke about leaving India. His film Viswaroopam was caught in a controversy and certain Muslim groups wanted the movie banned as they believed it portrayed Muslims in bad light. The actor wasn’t being allowed to release the film and having invested nearly Rs 100core in the project, he declared he would go bankrupt as all his assets were tied to the film.
Kamal Haasan stated in January 2013, “If there is no secular state in India, I would go overseas. I think Tamil Nadu wants me out. What would change is my passport; I would still be an Indian. I have pledged all my property for the film. I have lost my house because of delay in release.” His statement brought in a wave of support from politicians, the film fraternity and people in India and around the world. Many called for an end to this ‘cultural terrorism’ and wondered whether the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) really had a valid role to play in the country.
In fact, Aamir Khan had apologised to Kamal Haasan at a public event earlier this year for not having stood up for him during the Viswaroopam controversy. "I take this opportunity to apologise to you, Mr Kamal Haasan, for not standing by you when your film was banned in 2013. I was so lost in work and I didn't realise it at that time. But I think we all filmmakers should stand by each other in such cases and I should have supported you during those trying times,” he had stated.
But was the Viswaroopam incident, which centred on intolerance, a sign of things to come in the country? Today, it is Aamir who is caught in the intolerance quagmire. While Kamal's statement of wanting to leave the country did not become a national issue, Aamir's has. The fact that the actor is Muslim is also being drawn into the debate and made a point of contention.
The question being raised by many (including international media) is whether India is actually becoming intolerant towards minorities - especially the Muslims - under this government. While Modi has promoting India globally and speaking of ‘Make In India’, many say that the reality is that India is getting more divided and that intolerance is a serious issue. (Read: Snapdeal bears brunt of Aamir Khan's comments)
Some creative people and artists have taken to ‘Award wapsi’ to protest intolerance and communal violence. Award-winners like Vidya Balan and Kamal Haasan have flat refused to follow suit because they don’t believe that’s the way to fight this issue. However, no one went up in arms against them, trolled them on social media and nor did political parties take sides.
But with Aamir Khan giving his point of view on intolerance, prominent political parties are speaking against or for him, people are trolling him on social media and refusing to buy brands he endorses, and someone even filed a complaint at the Ashok Nagar Police Station, Delhi. So was his statement any less hurtful than Kamal’s? And wasn’t the actor's statement just proved right by everyone’s actions?
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
 "Aamir and Kamal")
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}