Ekta Kapoor's Two Cents On Petrol Price Hike Is A Sign For Bollywood To Stop Talking

Does it make any sense at all to ask an Ekta Kapoor about anything other than her film? Probably not. The 'woke' ones will find a way to voice their concern

Attention journalists from across the country – please stop asking Bollywood celebrities to weigh in on current affairs. It’s as futile as trying to find logic in the Race 3 trailer.  Answers from Bollywood celebs range from the woefully ignorant to the outright insincere. And by no means expect Ekta Kapoor to concern herself with issues concerning the aam janta types.

ALSO READ: Ekta Kapoor’s Alt-Balaji Working On Sourav Ganguly Biopic. Yes, We’re Concerned As Well

During a promotional event for her latest venture Sonam Kapoor and Kareena Kapoor-starrer Veere Di Wedding, Kapoor was asked about what she thought of the petrol price hike and whether it would affect the footfalls for the movie.

Wait! What? Someone please give the guy a medal for making the this mind-boggling connection. Before you could wipe away that what-did-he-say expression from your face, Ekta Kapoor spoke.

“Even if petrol prices are at its highest, men will take women for drives & in today’s time, women will take men for drives. This isn’t the movie that you’re going to stop watching as at this time you need to spend less on driving & more in theatre.”

She could have as well have recited the lyrics of the Tareefan song. Actually, that would have made more sense.

But guess what, this is not the first time that words strung together by a Bollywood celebrity, has made no sense.

However, before you go all bik-gayi-hai media on us, let us clarify that we agree that it’s unfair to put these individuals on a pedestal, and expect them to give their ‘expert opinion’ on matters. There’s equal responsibility on those who ask the questions. However, let’s be honest – few Bollywoodwallahs have the awareness of a George Clooney.

When Alia Bhatt is asked why the #MeToo movement hasn’t taken off in India, she goes around in circles and mentions her movie Highway (where she was a victim of sexual assault). Let’s face it, the only thing she is interested in telling people is for them to go watch her next film. Which is a perfectly legitimate stand, we agree. But why dilute a serious topic like this?

ALSO READ: Tone-Deaf And Evasive: Alia Bhatt’s #MeToo Comment Lays Bare Bollywood’s Lack Of Spine

Even as Ranbir Kapoor is busy unveiling the teaser for (possibly) his most ambitious film – Rajkumar Hirani’s Sanju, he is clearly not interested in answering questions about Bollywood’s ‘casting couch’ syndrome. He will obviously brush it away in a joke saying ‘it never happened to me.’ No Ranbir, we are not saying it happened to you, we are saying that it happens to hundreds of young men and women who are NOT you.

An Amitabh Bachchan, who writes letters to his granddaughters during the promotion of his film (Pink) – maintains a deafening silence through two of most widely-reported cases of sexual assault. Why? Because both cases have religious and political implications. It’s also important to note here – that a Robert De Niro can stand in front of a camera and call his President a ‘thug’, because he’s protected by the right to free speech, guaranteed by an iron-clad constitution. If an Amitabh Bachchan was to say something about our leader supremo (that would be something, wouldn’t it?) – there would be a curfew in JVPD scheme… in no time.

Does it make any sense at all to ask a Bollywood celebrity about what they think? Or take their opinions seriously at all? Probably not. The ‘woke’ ones will find a way to voice their concerns via social media or otherwise.

Maybe the journalist who asked Ekta Kapoor about how petrol price hike would affect Veere Di Wedding, should have stuck to some more imploring questions. Like why is everyone trying so hard in the film? Kapoor’s last three films were Half Girlfriend, A Flying Jatt and Great Grand Masti… just saying. Having been a producer for more than two decades, maybe someone could ask her why she doesn’t have better taste, yet? These are the important questions.

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